Strange Alliances
by darkmanmod
Summary: A story of love, revenge, compassion, war, and family. It's what happens when you complete Revan's power and wisdom with her soulmate's love and respect. It's the story of a couple that has a responsibility towards the galaxy.
1. Chapter 1

Strange Alliances

Lying at the feet of the Jedi strike team on the bridge of her flagship, the Dark Lord Revan looks into the future to determine her fate. She had previously thought she had done all she could for her old apprentice, Darth Malak, considering how busy she was running an army of her making. What happened to the bridge of her ship this day was a clear sign that she had failed him. Her most trusted follower, her old friend, her student had fired on her ship and rendered her helpless against the Jedi. Having probed the future before her encounter of the Jedi, she knew it was not the end of her. This time it was different; she was having second thoughts about how she wanted to live the rest of her life. It wasn't just her failure towards her apprentice that made her doubt herself; it was also everything else. She did not want to lose her power, but losing her memories would be worse. She knew the Jedi could take them away, and she knew they would. There had to be a way she could save both.

Looking into the future was her strong point; it was much like predicting her enemies during the wars. She had a gift. All of her old masters saw this, but now she was way ahead of them. Now her skill could mean saving her soul or leaving the fate of the galaxy in the hands of the Jedi. She had already made that choice; she had already left the Jedi for good. This time she had to look beyond the Jedi and beyond the empire she had built.

She was in the deepest state of meditation there could ever be: not dead but not far from it. Her body had to work just enough for her to feel and channel the force around her. Being around the Jedi, especially one as strong as Bastila Shan, certainly filled the room with the force. At this point one second on the rubble that used to be her command deck felt like days in her thoughts. In fact they could have been days. It was not important because she was more focused that any creature could ever be.

Revan was searching farther and faster than one could measure with a device. It was almost as if she was the force. Time had very little meaning and the size of the universe had to be looked at in a whole new way. She never could have seen things more clearly than now; she had come to realize what she was looking for just by seeing it, just like a baby would know what a color is just by observing it. However, what she was looking at certainly wasn't a color but a representation of where the force has balance and where it doesn't. The first place she noticed this "color" was between her almost lifeless body and Bastila. Though this was just a spot in the universe, it was unique, and though this little spec of light was of the same color as the rest of the light she sought, it had an intensity that could only belong to that particular region.

It didn't take long to find another spot that looked similar to the first, but these spots were never emanating from anyone; they were always part way between a member of her army and another person or life form from the planets surrounding the battle or the republican ships that were merely a decoy in this battle. No, this was not a good place to find what she was looking for: everyone around her was corrupt. They were either too far into the negative specter of this light or too far into the positive specter of it. At either end of the specter, this color is not visible. She had to seek this where the people were isolated from such events. She had to look where the endless battle between the light side and dark side of the force was completely ignored. This would take long to find, but she had time.

She stopped her search in a solar system beyond the outer rim where the population was completely isolated. In this system, the people didn't even know that there were others in the galaxy. Even here the force had its influences. Only a handful of the people in this system had a hint of this specter emanating from them but only one of them had just the right intensity about him. She was surprised to see that none of these people were force sensitive, but this didn't matter to her because she had a plan. The only person who had what she was looking for in all parts of the galaxy was Steve.

For the next few minutes that passed, while the Jedi were escorting Darth Revan onto the assault vessel they used to board her ship, she was studying him. She was in complete awe. It was like peace could walk and talk like anyone else. His body was a sanctuary for peace itself. His soul was pure, and the intensity of the light emanating from him could only mean that within his soul was also a place where the force could be in balance. Steve was an eleven-year-old man who lived with his family in a technologically inferior culture where consumerism and capitalism are the standard activities. In galactic standards, he would be closer to nineteen years old, just after the beginning of his adulthood.

Darth Revan didn't even think of contacting him, nor did she want to…yet. She had to make herself understood by him in another way before approaching him. She had to introduce herself through other means. She knew a lot about him by now: she knew his hobbies, his passions and his secrets. His personality astonished her. She knew she could trust him with anything. The light or dark side of the force would not corrupt him. And more importantly, she loved him.

The dark lord's first apparition however was not to him but to a motion picture maker, who was not even of his generation but from a previous one. She had gone a little farther back in time to shape an idea that would eventually reach Steve and make him understand.

Revan had many ideas of what she could do with the force when it obeys her but this skill was not meant to be used and she was sure the force would not allow such a manipulation but this time it seemed to be void of any resistance. The will of the force did not seem to be opposed to it at all. However, this will was not the will she was used to hearing even when she was a Jedi. She was clearly not a Jedi, nor did she truly want to be sith. Until now, she was only what she had to be.

Acting like a muse through apparitions and dreams, Revan began to spread an idea: an idea that closely resembled her world. This was only the first step that began a chain reaction. Many viewed the motion pictures that were released, and additional stories and ideas were added to it to make books and even games. Knowing Steve's future hobbies, she knew that he would venture through these ideas. Now she had to introduce herself in a more specific way. She had to make many apparitions and leaked many of the important details onto a few video game developers who had created her character along with many other important people that she knew destiny would include in Steve's journey. As she had foreseen, this game had a strong impact on Steve. Though it had far few details for her taste, it served its purpose, and she knew Steve would be able to relate to her when she would finally reveal herself to him.

At first, Revan was introducing herself in Steve's dreams: dreams that served only to shape his subconscious until they would be ready to surface. Most of the time, he would not remember his dreams, and when he did, they almost seemed normal to him until they became frequent. This process took many months, but when it was done Steve realized what was happening to him.

Fleeing the current battle, the Jedi's assault vessel managed to escape without attracting the attention of the much larger capital ships that were too busy with the priority targets which were the republican vessels and bombers. The starfighters pursuing the Jedi ships were no threat to them. This Jedi assault vessel was larger and was designed for exactly this kind of situation. It was equipped with armor and shields that could halt almost every low yield weapons fire, and it also had laser turrets that could fire directly behind them in case of pursuit, which was the current situation. With a Jedi operating this weapon system and another at the helm, it didn't take long to reach the safe zone. It was time for the republicans to leave as well.

Bastila Shan stayed at Revan's side showing the true compassion of a Jedi while preserving the life of who was, and could still be, a most powerful enemy. This was not on her mind though: she was more interested in the outcome that this victory would bring on the Sith empire. She was also more interested in what information Revan could give the Jedi that would help the war… if she could be turned that is. She was confident that the Jedi council would find a way around her almost invulnerable sith protective aura and transform her if they needed too, if only to preserve her life, but the information could be lost in the process. However, Revan had other plans; she would not be transformed… not by the Jedi.

Revan was ready for a full apparition: Steve was ready and eager to find out about his dreams. He was sleeping in his chamber when she woke him up, gently, with the mild touch of her immaterialized hand softly pressed against his shoulder. He woke up without even blinking; he was anticipating something like this and did not feel surprised even though he was. Underneath his calm stare and slow heart rate, he was surprised; surprised that he did not go unnoticed by everyone like he expected to. He was surprised that he was special… at least to someone he was, and he felt at peace with himself more than he ever did. Without knowing why, he understood right away that, in the presence of Revan he could do what he always wanted and be taken seriously. These were times of very few words; the fact that Revan was actually standing there was enough to trigger a series of thoughts that would lead to his destiny.

Revan had to teach him things about the force that were not completely covered in his mind. It was mostly about how to cope with the force and how to listen to its will even though it was impossible form him to feel or hear it, for he wasn't force sensitive. He knew it was not for him the way he was then that Revan was teaching him this, but merely for a part in his future where this information would be his only guide. Steve was a smart and knowledgeable person. Though he had a poor memory, he had a powerful mind that stored much subconscious knowledge that was most often enough to understand Revan's teachings. And for the rest of the time, it was Revan's support that helped get the job done.

Steve was a short man of Revan's size with an athletic physique. He was handsome and the little beauty he lacked from his facial features he gained from his astonishing body. His structure was incredible, and though he was far from being an athlete; he looked like one… maybe even better. He did not particularly enjoy physical training, but now he had the motivation. He had a strength to him that made him endure almost anything. If there was one thing he could do that was Jedi-like it was fencing. He quickly developed a passion for it that made him improve even beyond Revan's expectation. He trained his muscles for speed and endurance while he sharpened his reflexes and coordination to make him incredibly beautiful when fencing. He made sure that he would surprise even the Jedi with that kind of skill. They would not have seen anything like it coming from a non-force sensitive being. He had no intention of challenging the Jedi however; he was merely comparing his skills, and he knew that without feeling the force, he would not be wise to engage in a duel against any Jedi, for swordplay skills aren't what make the Jedi so fast and efficient. This training took many months, and Revan had to make good use of her time, only showing up once in a while to check on his progress.

The day had finally come; Revan had finally laid out her plans to him. She gave him a set of instructions that were quickly made in form of writing. They were plans, designs for Steve's lightsaber and instructions on how to make a perfect functional replica of Revan's original armor and robes that the Jedi surely would dispose of.

She wanted Steve to impersonate Darth Revan, the Dark Lord of the Sith, in order to overthrow her old apprentice, Darth Malak. However, this was not possible unless he was given the proper power to go with it: the power of the Dark Lord…

That night, Revan laid down beside him for hours. She was transferring all of her power onto him in order for him to give it back to her once she earns back the trust of the Jedi who, as she lay there, are preparing to strip her body of her powers once Bastila delivers her to the council. She will need to earn a trust strong enough to prevent them from simply stripping her powers again once Steve returns it to her. As Revan transfers her powers onto Steve, she begins to fade away ever so slowly. She has much power to give, but she is also giving him a piece of herself in this transference. It is not just the power of the Dark Lord; it was also her Jedi powers, and both combined is an identity that before now only belonged to Revan. Everything she was will now be part of Steve's life.

As Revan gives her farewells to Steve for the last part of the transference, Bastila, who is curiously crouching over her body on the way down the Jedi enclave of Dantooine, feels a great change. Previously, Darth Revan's proximity was enough to make any Jedi feel uneasy. Anyone of Revan's power could be felt through the force a great distance away. It was usual that Bastila felt that kind of presence in the force; she had frequent visits with the Jedi council, and she was very accustomed to being around power. However, she did not expect to feel a power like that to simply drain away unless death was waiting. She feared for Revan's life and sped the rest of the way to the council chamber where she laid Revan down gently. By then, she had nothing left of her power and lapsed into a coma. Though she was very weak, she was far from dead; she was to be reborn. She would be safe with the Jedi until her powers would return to her.

Revan had much convincing to do to the Jedi.

From this moment forward, Steve was on his own: Revan no longer had the power to contact him. All he could do is wait until she could come get him off his planet. During this time, his training had to be done with even more intensity. Steve had to learn to cope with his new abilities. He did not like being alone like this. After all, he was the only one on his planet with this kind of power. He didn't even think about that; he had much to do and a limited time to do it. Revan would not be released very easily. It could take months for the Jedi to trust her enough to even leave the enclave and much more to let her take back the power she had given, but that meant that Steve only had that much time to fit into his new and temporary role of Dark Lord of the Sith. He certainly wasn't made to be a Sith, but, for him to be convincing, he had to act the part with his every movement. He had to be fearless and immensely intimidating. This took much longer than he expected, but, when he was done creating Darth Revan's armor and robes, he had the missing link. Once he was wearing the outfit and placed the mask on, he felt superior, and when he finished building the lightsaber, he felt invincible. Though this is how he felt, he was sure he wasn't anything close to being invincible. In fact, he knew he was now more vulnerable than ever before. He was now on the path of his ultimate adventure, and there was no turning back. Everything that happens from now on would place him in danger. Still, he had to understand what danger really was before he would face Revan's old apprentice. Though his strength and courage would make sure he would find a way out of danger, he had to see this for himself.

Before now, Steve had not mentioned any of this to his friends or family. It was time to say goodbye to them and begin the final stages of his training before Revan came back for him. At this time, he was going to change a few things on his planet. He was only limited by his imagination. He could do anything. Though what he did on his planet no longer meant much to him, it would mean a lot to others. He gave the matters of his planet his full attention and decided it would be best if he only served to guide people in doing what he always knew was right. This alone was enough to challenge his skills, for it brought much danger; everyone would fear him and hate him for it. The others, the benefactors of his doings, would not care much about him because they would never be free to learn the truth about the events that Steve set in motion. Their government would never allow that to happen. It did not matter that he would only be a myth to the people of his planet: he had other plans to follow, and this was just a warm up. He had done what he wanted.

A week after she was brought to the Jedi enclave in Dantooine, Revan was able to awaken from her coma. She felt weak and vulnerable, but she felt safe where she was. It had been long since she had been there. She remembered that she liked that place. It was quiet and more peaceful that any other academy she had been to. There were not many distractions in this particular enclave. It had a lot to do with the fact that it was on a planet that was used mostly for agricultural farming. More than that, there were few people around in, or out of, the enclave. At this time, she preferred to be around as few people as possible: She was did not feel welcome at all. Every Jedi had judged her for her actions and she did not need to feel hated at that time. It was not long before someone was aware that she had awakened and attended to her pressing needs. Once that was out of the way, the Jedi council was eager to start their interrogation. They had send Bastila Shan into the medical bay to escort her to the council chamber. They had not spoken any words on the way there, but Revan had the feeling Bastila had many questions of her own and an opinion about Revan that was itching to be revealed. It was not the time for Bastila to be accusing Revan though, she was going to have a long enough day assisting the Jedi council in their interrogation. She knew it would be very difficult to extract information about Revan even if she could no longer use the force to block her mind: Revan had many secrets that were not meant for anyone to know but herself. When she first entered the room, master Vrook regarded her with his usual suspicious stare, and everyone around had followed in with an uneasy stare of their own, except for Bastila, who felt a little too strange about the whole scenario to have a suspicious stare. She was surrounded with the people she respected the most, and she knew that this situation was going to get uncomfortable for everyone. She thought of Revan as a most respectable enemy: a Jedi who had fallen to the dark side trying to do what others could not and putting an end to the mandalorian threat.

There were a lot of rumors about why Revan had betrayed the council, but none of them seemed real enough to satisfy her curiosity. She could only look at all the rumors at once and muster the idea that Revan was too complex to be explained this way. Bastila knew she would probably never learn all the reasons for Revan's actions even after months of interrogations. It bothered her very much not to understand what Revan had gone through because she wanted to be able to blame someone for everything that happened. Many of the Jedi had already placed the blame on Revan, and some were not certain if it was more the fault of the Jedi teachings, or lack there of. After all, Revan had many teachers, and she was a hero, even among the Jedi, long before she betrayed them. She was a great Jedi, and it was hard to determine what anyone else would have done in her place. If Bastila had gone to war with the Mandalorians, would she have fallen too? Was falling to the dark side inevitable in that circumstance, or was it done by choice? The Jedi had feared the dark side for so long now that they had no way of answering these questions without having lived it. Only Revan knew what she was doing, and everyone had to live with that for now. Jedi masters Vrook, Vandar, Jarr and a few more were all inspecting Revan for a long moment. All she could do was look back at them.

The Jedi masters had begun their questions in a systematical way. They wanted to follow a chronological order: starting from when Revan first took the initiative to leave the Jedi to lead a war against the Mandalorians. As expected, all of the information that Revan gave, the Jedi had already known... at least for this part of the interrogation it was. Revan was cooperative, however. She had to withhold some details from the Jedi, but they did not insist on knowing them. Some things they knew were better left out of the discussion. They could see that Revan still had respect for them and they were not interested in making matters worse by loosing it. They sensed that Revan did not fear nor hate them and her cooperation could only mean that she was not an enemy… though she was certainly not an ally. Revan remained neutral during the entire interrogation.

When it was time to discuss more recent events, everyone paused, uncertain of the mood it would create around them. Revan knew what had to be done: Darth Malak was not made to conquer the galaxy, nor was anyone supposed to. She had no desire to see the Republic fall forever; she had only intended to stir the galaxy, and it was sufficiently stirred to make way for new events. Darth Malak had to be stopped and though she knew the Jedi could not defeat him, she also knew they didn't have to. All she had to do was make the republic slow Malak's progress down until she could get help.

The existence of the Starforge came as a shock to the Jedi. They expected to hear a plausible explanation for the limitless sith forces that charged in from the outer rim but they had no idea such a device could be built. They had to act quickly because Revan told them how its productivity would increase until it is destroyed. Revan did not care for the thing: it was, after all, just a machine, and it could never be properly used by anyone anymore. It had served its purpose, and now it had to be destroyed.

Though no one showed it, all the Jedi in the room were relieved that Revan no longer seemed to be the dangerous opponent they expected her to be. Everyone was grateful for the information Revan provided them with, but there was much more they needed to discuss. Revan made it clear to everyone that she understood better than anyone what had to be done. She had to convince them that, for as long as Darth Malak was in the Starforge, there would be no stopping him. She told them that they would have to lure him away and strike at the factory with all they had. She did not want them to know the fate she reserved for her old apprentice. Even outside of the Starforge, Darth Malak would not be defeated by any Jedi. Malak had been at war for too long and had learned much from the Dark Lord Revan. Though it was not enough to make him wise like she was, it was enough to make him powerful enough to kill any Jedi in his way. Even if they send all of the strongest Jedi masters against him it would not be enough. Revan knew they would never send a strike force of Jedi masters after Malak unless they were sure of the outcome. She also knew that anything they send his way would not come back. She did not want anyone to die for nothing. It took a lot of convincing, and the Jedi masters could not deny that sending a squadron of Jedi after Malak would have terrible consequences. However, they explained to Revan that they couldn't simply do nothing. This did not go well with her but she could not do anything else than negotiate a compromise:

"Malak will be dealt with in time, I promise you. All I ask is that you postpone your plans to capture him until you have thought it through, and you are certain it will work. I beg you!" She said. Everyone was curious as to why she would promise such a thing. They all knew Revan had a gift of foresight when she was a Jedi, and they did not doubt that she had a good idea of what would happen to Malak if she had her power. However, she did not have her power and it made all the Jedi curious to know why she said that. All of them were probing Revan's mind for an answer to their questions… except for Bastila Shan, who was more interested in Revan's expression of concern for the Jedi's lives. After careful studying of Revan, the masters could not sense anything farther than her honesty and perhaps a combination of feelings that seemed to have been present for a great portion of the interrogation. She had a lot on her mind, and she knew how to make it difficult for the Jedi to read.

Everyone in that room had much to think about, and plans to capture Malak would have to be postponed until the Starforge was destroyed. They could not yet agree to Revan's terms: there were just too many things to consider for the moment. The conclusion of this interrogation would have to be decided after a very long recess. Revan had told them all she wanted, and now the ball was no longer in her court. She already knew what the Jedi would say to her about it in a few days. All she wanted was to warn them of the danger because she cared. She cared about the poor Jedi knights that are given these suicidal missions. It was not right for them not to know it was a suicidal mission and that they had no chance of success. Now she was considering the possibility that she may yet get help before the Jedi do this. She wished she had her powers to see if she could get it done on time to save them, but the less she thinks about that the better. She still had to make everyone trust her, and the first way to do that is not to think about how powerless she is because she still has all the charisma that she used to have. That was all the power she needed. No matter how many Jedi hated her, she still had her ways of remaking friends. She could see that in the way Bastila treated her on their way back to her room. Though it currently served as a holding cell, this room was just like any other. It was not locked, but it was being monitored from the outside. The Jedi had no more reason to think she could escape, but they were not ready to bet on it. Revan was very, very smart and she is capable of surprising just about anyone.

It did not bother her too much to be stuck in a room like this because she was free to have visitors, and that's all she needed. Anyone who had enough respect for her would eventually make their way to her room. She would have her chance at redemption. She was hoping Bastila would stay with her for a while, but with all that was going through the young Jedi's mind, Revan could not expect it from her. She would have to wait some time before things calmed down. The next morning, Revan ventured out of her room to make her way to the cafeteria. She didn't even have to think about it, but, for some reason, she was almost sure they would not bring food to her room this morning. It did not matter much: she understood that everyone was still under the impression that Revan's presence was just a rumor and that no one in particular was assigned to take care of her. She was not an ordinary guest at all. On her way there, she knew she was being carefully watched, though she could not pinpoint who was assigned to guard her. Normally, it would be easy to find who it was by their actions and by the way they looked at her. The problem this time was that everyone was looking at her in the same way and acted the same way: They all seemed to be in utter disbelief. All they did was exchange glances and whispers as she made her way to the fruit table.

It was a beautiful morning like it almost always was in this continental area. Revan had a craving for fresh fruit. All she wanted to do, for now, was to grab a fruit basket and make her way to the little garden near the eastern entrance of the enclave. Luckily for her, this spot was not occupied, and she could attend to her needs in solitude. It was only then that she could see who was following her. She did not care much who it was, but she was relieved to see that she knows this man; it was an old friend of hers. She did not know Vin well or remember much about him, but she knew that she could trust him. He was looking at her from a distance, giving her a look disappointment. She had expected this from him, but she also expected him to approach her, which he didn't. Revan didn't mind that; she felt like being alone for a while. The next set of Jedi that passed along the garden, however, seemed much too frightened to give her a stare like that. The Jedi trainer and the two padawans moved as quickly as they could past Revan and didn't look back. Suddenly she felt too alone.

Fear was far worse to Revan than disappointment. It only meant that some misunderstood her, and for the Jedi to show signs of fear was not good at all. It might take a little longer than she had originally thought to redeem herself in the eyes of the Jedi. When she was done eating, she returned her basket to the cafeteria and made her way back to her room. It was only then that her old friend, Vin, approached her. At first, he was a little nervous. He had no idea how Revan would react to his questions and was even less sure if he was even supposed to talk to her, but he could not help it. Like every other Jedi, he was curious about one thing more than anything else: Is Revan still evil or had she changed? The rumors that spread had mentioned that she had been rendered powerless but failed to mention if the Jedi council was able to turn her back to the light side beforehand. It was not important because Vin was soon going to find out by her reaction to his question.

"I was never evil." Revan said. He didn't seem convinced. He thought that she probably meant that she was not fully evil and that she was able to turn back to the light side of the force. However, Revan meant what she said and did not insist on explaining any of that to anyone. It was better if the Jedi believed that she had been evil for a time and was over it now. Revan was able to answer most of his questions as honestly as she could and saw that it was helping change his mind about her.

Vin was under the impression that the Dark Lord of the Sith would be beyond any redemption and that it would have changed Revan forever even without the dark side of the force constantly whispering to her. He was wrong about all of this, but so were all the Jedi, and even most of the sith believed it too. She was the only one that knew this for a fact, and no one would believe her if she mentioned that she had almost full control of the dark side when she was the Dark Lord: Most of the time she could choose to ignore its whispers if she wanted to. She was very strong indeed. Even is she explained this to him, he would not understand so she didn't bother trying. Perhaps this is what she should have talked to Malak about when she had the time. She was always hoping that he could learn this on his own, but it was too late for regrets.

Some days went by when she had very few visitors, but, when those days were over, she felt it was safe enough to venture around the enclave. The rumors were almost all dissipated and everyone felt a little better about having the ex-Dark-Lord living with them now that they knew a little more about what was going on. Revan tried her best to be as polite as possible to everyone that ventured near her. Moreover, she was being nice to everyone; she had no reason not to. Some of the Jedi were kind enough to act nice around her even though they felt awkward. As expected, most of them just kept their distance and it would take long before they accepted her. When she had nothing to do and no one to talk to, she would go visit the training grounds where all the padawans were practicing many of the Jedi's physical exercises. It made her remember that she had achieved amazing things and it made her forget that, to the Jedi, these things she did didn't mean much anymore: they had other problems and new heroes to look up to. Speaking of which, as Revan was giving a few pointers to two teen Jedi who had a bit of trouble balancing themselves on their hands, Bastila was approaching from a spot she had been observing Revan from. The council was ready to talk with Revan again. This time, on the way there, Revan spoke to Bastila.

"Thank you for watching over me" she said.

"Someone had to do it" Bastila was quick to reply.

"Maybe, but I was glad it was you".

Bastila knew what Revan was talking about: the Jedi didn't expect to get anything from Revan after she was captured and even as a captive she was dangerous… they could have let her die there that day.

When they finally arrived at the council chamber, master Vandar had given Revan the vague answer that she was expecting. The Jedi would do whatever they could to protect the republic after they destroy the Starforge. All the Jedi in the room were satisfied with Vandar's comment and did not add anything more on the subject: they all were too sure of themselves; even Bastila thought they had a chance to capture Malak. It didn't make much difference anymore because soon she would be given a chance to prove herself trustworthy and that was the most important thing for her. Like her, the Jedi masters had many secrets and would never go in many details about their plans even to some of their own Jedi knights, not until the right time anyway. Some of the Jedi would suffer a terrible fate at the hands of Malak and all Revan could hope for is that it wasn't anyone she knew. It was time to address another issue: she still had to have permission to leave the enclave and she wouldn't get it if all she could do was walk around. She suggested to the council that they let her assist the Jedi trainers until they gave her permission to leave. It was not something the Jedi would feel comfortable with and the masters feared that Revan would influence the young padawans too much. However, they wanted to give her a chance to do something so they suggested a counter-offer. They agreed to let her serve as a spotter while the padawans trained. Though it would not be the young padawans that they would let her help; it would be the older and wiser ones that had less chances of being influenced in a bad way. To her, it was all the same: she would not discriminate.

For the next few months, the Jedi were too busy finalizing their battle plans to destroy the Starforge to notice the improvements that Revan triggered in the padawans placed under her care. They were ready to lure Malak away from the Starforge and strike it with everything the Republic had. Their plan had worked as expected; Malak had not expected the Starforge to be found and was too late to defend it. However, he was able to see the good in this situation. The Republic used all the power they had to destroy it and though a lot of their vessels were able to escape after, he could see that they had also been greatly weakened by this attack. He also had a great reserve of ships left patrolling around the galaxy and a lot of the ones defending the Starforge had been left unharmed. His fleet outnumbered the republic's forces and he had only to be more patient to see them fall. The Republicans celebrated their victory but it did not last long. Though they were unaware of Darth Malak's reserve forces, they knew they still had a lot of fighting to do. Their tactics manly consisted of hit and runs on the Sith patrols everywhere they could find some, but Darth Malak used that to his advantage; while they attacked his patrols, he would attack planets and kill countless innocent people. He could strike at people from orbit and remain unchallenged, most of the time. The days of the Republic were counting down and it was only after the Sith destroyed an entire planet that everyone realized that. Thankfully, Malak did not perceive the Jedi that were still alive as a threat. He knew none of them could defeat him and those that tried would be dealt with easily. It was only once the Jedi masters failed to capture Malak that they understood the fate of the galaxy.

From now on, the Jedi had to tend their own flock; it was not a question of attacking the Sith anymore, it was defense. All they could do was set some of their force in key areas of the Republic that were vital to its survival. Malak's plan was not to attack those regions; he would weaken the rest of the Republic until they had nothing left but the Jedi to protect them and then his final victory would come. With jedi like Bastila around those targets, it would not be easy to take them out. He was not about to attack them until he was sure of a swift victory; he would wait for years if he had to.

It was at that time that things started to cool down. The Jedi had much to rebuild and had to focus on making great Jedi knights if they were ever to defeat Malak. That was when they noticed how well Revan was doing her job. Though it was not easy at first for her students to accustom themselves to her teachings, it progressed very rapidly. They were very impressed about how well she could teach them even though she did not have the force. They immediately saw how wise she was and understood where her true power came from. They were very pleased to have her as their instructor and wished she was allowed to teach them more about other fields than just physical training. There was just so much more they could learn from her. Revan did not insist on sharing such knowledge because it would mean she would get into trouble. In the end, it was that silence that made her earn the council member's trust. After a long review of her work, they allowed her to take one of the old cargo ships to go wherever it was she wanted to go. It was a very small thing with minimal weapons and shields; something that they did not use very often. Revan didn't mind. Where she was going, she did not need much more than that. She also knew where to get a much better ship once she had her powers back. Once she took care of business, she would have to go back to the enclave on Dantooine and make a deal with the Jedi for absolute freedom. That is why it did not matter that she gets a better ship yet: she would not need it for a while.

Space travel was lonely for her; she did not find this cargo ship comfortable at all and it was much too empty for her taste. She spent all of her time trying to remember exactly where to find Steve. Though she knew the coordinates of his planet by heart, she found it difficult to remember the city he lived in. They all looked the same to her. Once she was orbiting the planet, she scanned a great part of its surface to see if she could remember parts of it. Meanwhile, Steve could sense her presence and sped his way to the rendezvous point. It was a park near his family's house; a very small clearing surrounded by houses. It was almost systematic; for a certain number of houses, there had to be a field or park. Revan laded the ship relatively quick and could see that Steve was already waiting for her. He had very few bags with him; filled only with the items he needed. He had very few clothes with him. It was time to change his clothing style anyway: he had to blend in with the rest of the galaxy after all. He thought of bringing weapons of his world with him but foresaw that he would not need them. Almost all he had with him were the things Revan had made him make. He also had made himself a black outfit that best fit his style. Though it was the only one he had quite like it and wasn't exactly as best as he could make it, he loved it and would wear it all the time where he was going. It would be his new signature and he was happy with it.

Naturally, everyone around the field just stared at the ship. A part of his family was also there, but they did not want to draw attention. They kept quiet and watched as he left. As soon as he was onboard, the ship took off. He was so happy to see Revan again. And this time she was flesh and blood. She was everything he had hoped. He liked her very much and was very excited to finally start his adventure with her. Steve knew from the moment she appeared to him that he couldn't ask for a better life. For as long as he was with Revan, everything would be beautiful to him. Revan had already told him the same about him many months ago, but it was only now that he could admit the same: Now that everything he wished for had happened. After they embraced themselves, Steve immediately showed Revan the progress of his training. This took the entire trip, as they had not seen each other for as long as Steve had Revan's powers and he had much to show her and many questions to ask. He was not ready to face Malak yet, but he certainly had what it would take. At this point it was only a matter of double-checking everything and fortifying his confidence. He would soon have more than enough confidence to accomplish his mission. Revan wasted no time. She had to introduce Steve to the Jedi.

For as long as she withheld his existence from them, they would never be able to trust her with her old powers back. Once they see what she is trying to do, after Steve could convince them of their intentions, they would not have much choice but to let Steve kill Malak. After all, he did not need to be redeemed. The Jedi had no reason not to trust him, nor did they have reasons to trust him. However, once he does what he will promise, they will have no choice but to leave him be.

Before they arrived at the Dantooine enclave, Revan requested that Steve wore Darth Revan's replicated outfit. He thought that was a good idea. It would definitely captivate the Jedi's attention, and he and Revan would be taken as seriously as they ever could be. Besides, it would be ironic for the Jedi to see someone else wear that armor and see Revan standing next to its wearer. It would certainly evoke the right impressions. It was important to show the Jedi what Darth Revan was really capable of and what she had meant to do with her new life. She was proud of Steve and could not wait to show him off. Steve could sense that from her and was very pleased. Even though the Jedi might not like him because of what he was, he felt great about himself. If the Jedi wanted to judge him in that way, and only see what he represented wearing that armor, it was not his problem. He would gain their respect one way or another, and he was not an enemy. He had nothing to feel bad about; all was well and he wanted the Jedi to understand this.

When the ship landed, Steve noticed that there were many people between him and where he was going. He had to remember his training and act as imposing as ever if he was to avoid a confrontation. The Jedi had no reason to attack him but for the simple fear that he triggered in them as he would walk by. This fear had to be strong enough to keep them away from him and Revan. He held her hand as they walked down into the enclave's entrance. As they had hoped, they met no other opposition but the screams of fear that came out of the younger Jedi. None of the Jedi knew what to do or how to react; all they could do was step out of the way, hands on they lightsabers, waiting to see something happen. Those that knew Revan, from all the time she had stayed with them, thought this was a joke of very poor taste, but when they got closer, they felt the power coming from her companion and immediately copied everyone else's reaction. Never had anyone seen such a scene. Everyone in the area was on the verge of panicking… yet no one dared break the harmony. They all would not believe that an enemy of the Jedi would simply deliver itself them. They recognized that Revan and her companion had very important business with the Jedi.

The way to the council chamber had felt very long for everyone. The tension was very high and the truth was about to be had. Some of the Jedi had the courage to follow the travelers into the council chamber only to be dismissed. Bastila was with the council members at this time: she had felt a disturbance in the force and immediately inquired about it. It was no secret to the master; they were expecting a visitor very soon but did not expect to see this. They were all in awe but did not show it… Except for Bastila, who was not ashamed to appear so. She was focused on Revan's hand. She simply didn't know what to think: Who was she with, and why did everything about this figure seem like Revan's past? That person was an imposing presence in the force and was wearing the Dark Lord's armor. Bastila thought that if Revan's companion was standing alone in front of her, she would be sure it was the Sith Lord she was looking at. But now it was all too confusing.

Revan spoke the first words:

"Steve and I have an important matter to discuss." she said.

"Ah, so it is Steve then." master Vandar said as coolly as he could.

A moment went by in silence, and Steve felt it was time to remove the mask. He had created the mood he was interested in, so he had no more use for it at the moment. He still had to act his part well, so he kept a neutral face. His eyes had a glow that made everyone believe he was serious, and with Revan's power, no one could get a glimpse of his thoughts. In order for the Jedi to truly understand who he was, he had to continue playing his role at all costs. With the use of his mind block, which was mostly a dark side power, he could fool anyone. The less they could learn about him now, the more they would understand what he was all about later.

"In order for our plan to work, we need to share it with you." continued Revan.

No one pretended to know what she was talking about so after a short pause she continued: "Remember when I promised you that Darth Malak would be dealt with?"

_Another pause._

"Well Steve is here to fulfill that promise. He is the only one that is fit for the job. He will succeed, I promise you." she continued.

"How does he plan on doing that?" master Vrook snapped. He did not mean to say it that way but could not bring himself to believe what was happening. After all, if Steve was really a Dark Lord, he did not need the Jedi's permission to go after Revan's old apprentice. However, there was nothing ordinary about the circumstances and he should not have reacted like that.

"All he needs is a ship like the one you used to capture me and he will get the job done." Said Revan.

"I need to be dropped off at the sith academy on Korriban when Malak will be there. That means I need a pilot, a gunner and some time." Steve said.

"I also need you to continue housing Revan until I get back. In return, all I demand is that she is released upon my return." He proposed.

"What made you think we would want you to replace Malak at the head of the sith empire?" Vrook tried not to respond as aggressively as the last time.

"I am not proposing that I replace him. In fact, I am suggesting that you allow us to throw the Sith empire into chaos. By killing Malak, the Sith will have lost the only two leaders that they would ever follow. Their entire command structure will collapse and they will follow no one else. I guarantee it." Steve explained.

"We are aware of the status of the Sith's command structure. However, they will replace their fallen leader with one that they deem worthy. Defeating Malak may not be enough to collapse that structure." Master Vandar remarked.

"I can keep that from happening. The sith empire will remain leaderless and all their progress will be halted. What you decide to do to their forces afterwards is up to you. However, I suggest that you don't irritate them while they disassemble themselves; that will only cause them to try and stick together for a little longer." Steve clarified.

"How can you guarantee that you will not take command to the sith empire once Malak is defeated?" Vandar asked.

"I cannot make you believe what my intentions are, but the fact that you have nothing to lose in sending me against Malak and the fact that you haven't killed me yet is reason enough to let me do this." Steve stated.

"A ship with a Jedi crew and replacing one powerful enemy for another doesn't classify as being nothing to lose." Vrook was quick to reply.

"I am not your enemy, I am nobody's enemy." Steve said. _A brief pause followed_.

"Nothing will happen to your ship and crew. As for the outcome of my victory, surely you can see a glimpse of it through the force. The future is set and if you allow me to do what I asked, it will benefit us all." Steve explained.

"I do not foresee there will be any harm in what he asks, master Vrook… and it is premature to assume he is our enemy. Don't you agree?" Master Jarr asked his friend.

"Perhaps. What is it you want to do after this stunt of yours, dark one?" Vrook replied.

Steve had not expected to be called that, although he dressed in dark robes and his hair was dark, he still did not feel that title was appropriate. It bothered him a little but tried to accept it might not be too far off his role to be called that. He did not expect that to feel wrong, but it did. Seeing the hesitation in her friend, Revan spoke for him:

"We will leave here and live in solitude and peace in an isolated part of the galaxy. We want to be left alone and start over again. No war, no politics… no empire, no order… just the two of us and perhaps a few others that seek our sanctuary." Revan was excited about it as she was saying it and had almost forgotten that she should minimize the details. It did not bother her that they knew there would be others with them, but it bothered her that they know she knew that. It would have been best not to mention others at all, but at least this way she didn't have to lie. She had to appear unsure of herself in order for them not to speak of the subject: There were going to be others in their journey and the Jedi were not ready to know of them. Not yet.

The Jedi masters felt it was time for a recess. They had a habit of discussing matters between each other for hours before reaching a conclusion they already knew they would reach from the beginning. It was their method of feeling secure about their discussions. This way, they felt all the angles were covered and they didn't leave anything out. Of course, they were not all-knowing and they often left things out, but what they didn't know did not hurt them.

During this recess, Steve and Revan retired to her room. They could hear all the commotion on their way there, though they did not see anything. All the Jedi were curious to know what happened between their masters and the visitors, but, as usual, they had to create rumors. This time, the rumors were on target: they simply mentioned something about negotiations between Revan, her companion and the Jedi masters. The rumors described Steve as being a Dark Lord of unknown origin, which was not far from describing his current role: He had to represent the dark side of the force at this time. He could not be mistaken for a Jedi or even a dark Jedi: he had to be something else. Though a Dark Lord was far from being what he was, it would serve as an image for the Jedi's narrow perspective of his true nature. He felt a lot like Revan did when she claimed her title of Dark Lord of the Sith: It was only an image that people could understand. It was never her true nature. She was far more than that. However, it was necessary for her to be called that in order for her empire to be built. All the key events depended on her role and she excelled at playing it. Her power, her outfit and her incredible wisdom were a flawless combination to shape things the way she had to. Now, it was Steve's turn. For however briefly he would play this role, it would make all the difference in the world. Everything would be better from now on, and it would be better if the Jedi were not to blame for it. The galaxy had to fix itself, and, from now on, Revan would only intervene when she had to. If she did everything right, that would become very infrequent. That was why Steve was there. He was there to make Revan set things right. With his pure soul and Revan's powerful will, it would guarantee that things would be done right. They completed each other. Eventually, no one would deny that, but, for now, they had to remain with somewhat of a lower profile.

Not long after they settled down in Revan's room and began to discuss her situation in more detail, Steve sensed someone approaching and slipped his mask back on. Shortly after the door opened, Vin stepped into the room. He did not look happy at all. After taking a quick look around the room, he said:

"How could you bring him here with you!" He was pointing in Steve's direction. Though his mask was back on, the rumors had spread that he was in fact a man of significant dark power. "I thought you were through with the Sith… how could expect people to trust you after this?" He cried out. He was not interested in seeing Revan associate herself with the Sith after having gone through all the trouble of earning people's trust. It did not make sense to him. He thought Revan had told him the truth about her current alliances, but, now, he was not sure it was true.

"He is not of the Sith, Vin. He hasn't even seen another Sith yet." She replied calmly. She did not want to scare him; she knew that, if he had more fear than this, he might do something stupid. He was not a bad man, but fear could drive him crazy like it could do to almost anyone. Though he had as much time training as a Jedi as Revan, he was not quick at improving himself. He was a mere Jedi knight and not a particularly good one at that. He was not very strong in the force, but that did not excuse his slowness of learning. He was simply far too distracted, and, though it was not a bad characteristic, it could get him into trouble. This was not a good time for him to get into trouble, so Revan had to calm him down however she could. Telling him the truth seemed like the best solution. It would not reach anyone of importance in time to alter anything. Though Vin had friends, none of them were directly linked with anyone on the council. Also, Vin respected Revan's privacy, and that included her secrets. If she told him now, he would only tell his most trusted friends, and it would not travel far after that. His friends were not distracted as easily as he, but they would spread the word eventually. With Revan's power, Steve could see the positive in what Revan started. He saw into the future that some of the Jedi would be influenced in a positive way with this information. He let Revan continue.

"How is that possible? I can feel his power. You can't deny that!" Vin shouted. "He has more power than anyone, but this power does not come from the Sith or the Jedi, I promise you." Revan said soothingly. "I don't know where you dug him up, but, since nobody knows who he is, you might be telling the truth. I can still feel the dark side about him though." As Vin said that he took a step forward with his hand on his belt near the hilt of his lightsaber. At the same time, Steve slowly took a step back and lifted his right hand up, signaling Vin to stop. With his other hand, Steve was making a gesture that conveyed the message that he wanted Vin to calm down. Vin suddenly calmed down and stood still for a moment. He then turned to Revan, who was sitting on the edge of the bed not far from where Vin was standing now and a little farther from where Steve had been standing before the interruption.

"What are you up to Revan? Why would you jeopardize your good relations with the Jedi? This is an odd move, even for you." He said in a semi-whisper.

"I just want to be left alone; I don't belong here, you know that… I am not going to cause trouble if that's what you're asking." Revan confessed.

"I know you don't feel like you're very much wanted here, but people were starting to open up to you, and you can do it again. It's not too late." Vin said.

"You don't understand, Vin. I never truly believed I belong here, even before the wars… even before we met the first time. I respect the Jedi, Vin, but I don't want to live like this anymore. I have great things awaiting me out there, and I could never do them for as long as I am trapped here." She explained.

"I am always going to be friends with you Revan, and there are others like me. There will always be a spot left for you among us if you ever need anything. I just hope what you're about to do will be worth it, but I guess I'll find out eventually." Vin stood up straight and looked over Steve's direction again. He stared at him for a moment and then left the room.

Steve and Revan had some time before the council would inform them of their discussion. They had many things to do. It was not long ago since Steve had even seen a spaceship. If he was to be able to operate any machine or computer in this region of space, he had learn the most important ones quickly. The most important thing for him was to learn how to use the communications devices. The most used one was the com-link, but that would be very easy to learn. The other method was the use of holograms. This method was more complex because it had to be done through a computer interface. After he had learned that, he wanted to take a shower. It would take a long time before he would have another chance to take one. Before he took the shower, he had to go through his plan with her. Revan got to work on a datapad that contained most of what he would need, including the schematics of the sith academy on Korriban. Soon after he got out of the shower, he was ready to go.

Before Bastila could knock on their door, Revan and Steve exited the room and followed her to the council chamber. Bastila was not comfortable beside them, so she followed them from behin, trying to observe them. She did not like what was going on; it felt wrong, and it didn't make sense. She had been a Jedi for as long as Revan had, and, in all her experience, she was rarely wrong to trust her feelings. Once they entered the council chamber, they found that there were just two of the masters there: Vrook and Vandar.

"Jarr went to prepare the ship for you, it won't be long until it is ready to depart." said Vandar. "Once you have completed your mission, we will allow you and Revan to leave." Vrook said.

Once they were dismissed, Steve and Revan made their way to the landing pad together. This time Bastila remained with the council members; they had matters to discuss. The ship was bigger than Steve had expected. Before now, he had only seen one ship from close. This one was astonishing. It looked a lot more professional. He was happy with it. Since everything was a new experience for him, he had to treasure every moment. They both climbed onboard and visited the interior of the assault vessel. It was very clean compared to the cargo ship. When they entered the storage room, they noticed two Jedi talking to each other. These were going to be his shipmates.

"We are just about done here. If you have anything to do, make it quick." One of the Jedi said. It was time for Revan to get off the ship and wait with the Jedi for his return, just as they promised.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2. The Deed

The Jedi assault vessel was now leaving the atmosphere. All Revan could see of it now was the faint light of its engines lighting up the clouds. She had only met Steve in person less than two days ago and he was already gone. Now she had to go back to being alone and unwanted. The events that had stirred before Steve left on his mission left everyone in doubt. This time, it wouldn't be long before she could be with him again. It would also mean that she would get her powers back. She wasn't really looking forward to it though: for the next few months it would only bring trouble to have them back. On the other hand, anything was better that staying in a Jedi enclave filled with ignorant people. She didn't care about their ignorance though; it was too common of a thing in almost any culture.

Steve's plan was explained in as much detail as possible to the crew he was given. The two Jedi listened carefully, as if it were any other mission. They were acting on direct orders from the council, and they would do what they are told. It would be a simple drop-off and pickup mission. Though it had its dangers, it had a very high chance of success: They would exit hyperspace as close to the planet as possible and speed their way down to Korriban's Sith academy. By the time the Sith detect them, they would have unloaded their passenger and would be on their way out into space. The only danger was the defenses the Sith may have around the landing zone, which was said to be almost always deserted. The rest of the danger would be left for Steve to handle. The two Jedi thought this mission Steve was on was bold and unrealistic. No Jedi would possibly accept to be dumped on a Sith planet and expect to make it into the academy. Furthermore, the details were that Steve had to make his way deep within the academy itself to reach his goal: Darth Malak. Steve was no Jedi, however, and it was not their place to give their opinion about the mission. Steve would make no use of it.

On the way out of hyperspace, the Jedi pilot noticed a Sith ship. No doubt Darth Malak's flagship waiting for the Sith Lord to return into space. Though this was not a problem at the moment it could become one when, and if, Steve's mission was completed. However, Steve did not seem alarmed at all about it, and it gave the Jedi more confidence. The rest of the way down was without any dangers. The landing site was clear of any detectable defenses, and there were very few people around. The drop-off was swift and effortless.

On his way down to the academy, Steve noticed that everyone was going about their business. No one even looked in his direction. It would be the same if he were a ghost. He was lucky to go unnoticed for even a few minute, but he soon reached the main doors of the academy. As usual, it was lightly guarded. This particular guard was a fool and never took anything seriously. When he saw the dark figure approach, he was sure it was meant as a joke. Steve had kept the same pace on his way down and never even glanced at the guard. When he was close enough, he summoned the force and lifted his hand at arm lengths in front of him with his palm facing forward. The door began to screech and clinch, as the mechanism was being forced open. Looking at the door, in dismay, the guard could think of nothing to do but to keep his mouth shut. His job, after all, was to keep the unworthy out of the academy, and this was no longer his jurisdiction.

Steve kept on walking at the same pace as before, as if everything was normal, down into the academy's interior. The first room was the main room. It was more like a threshold because all it did was lead to other hallways. It was a very big chamber though and people used it as a common room. There were a dozen Sith students and trainers in this room, and they all felt Steve's presence. As soon as he stepped into their visual range, they stared at him. Amongst them was master Uthar. Uthar was currently speaking to a number of new recruits, and, when he saw the dark one making his way to the other side of the room, he froze.

"Is this even possible? Could the Dark Lord be alive? Why has she waited so long to return?" He whispered to himself as he watched the short figure walk past them.

There were a couple of students that were walking in Steve's direction. They had come back form the training room and were on their way out to celebrate their newfound skills. As they were discussing how powerful and fierce they were, they noticed the short figure walking towards them. They felt sure of themselves and thought they should make a comment on his size. Steve did not look big and wasn't big, but he had surprising strength for his size. It did not bother him one bit to be called names like that because their ignorance of strength was his advantage. However, he did not need his strength right now. He had to save that for later. The two persistent students stood between him and the hallway, getting ready to fight. Everyone was watching quietly and master Uthar made his way to the center of the room to get a closer look. As the two Sith were drawing their lightsabers, they realized something was wrong. They could not move. Their chests started to feel immense pressure. They were panicking. That pressure soon became unbearable and their lungs and hearts couldn't expand one bit. Death was imminent for those two, and they collapsed to the ground before Steve had even reached them. He didn't slow down or even look back, as he walked passed the two motionless corpses. He was just gliding through the academy.

"So it is Revan." Uthar spoke almost inaudibly. He was the only one in the room who had seen Revan in person before. He was fond of her powers and wisdom. He had always expected her to come back one day or another. He didn't think Malak deserved her title. Though he was very strong, he lacked the charisma and wisdom of a true leader. Revan had all that and more. He was ashamed when the word that Revan had been killed reached him. He felt it was cowardly of her apprentice to betray her from afar like that. Not worthy of a true Dark Lord. However, he could not deny that without Revan, Malak was by far the strongest Sith and had no choice but to follow him.

After following the map on his datapad, Steve reached Malak's giant meditation chamber. The bulky door was shut as it was always. There were very few people who would dare enter that room. However, this is where Malak sought his solace from when he felt confused or regretful, which was most of the time. He found it gave him great power to focus on the regrets of his past. He would think a lot about the Jedi and the wars and he thought a lot more about his old master. He felt a lot of regret about what he did to her and loved to rethink of other ways he could have challenged her for supremacy.

As he was buried in his thoughts, Malak felt a strong presence at his door. When he realized that that presence wouldn't leave, he made his way to the door's control panel to open it. As the door opened, he had a thought that had just become true. His old master was here to challenge him in a fatal ceremony. There was great honor in challenging one's master in a duel, and he wanted a piece of it. Though what he did to Revan was the most realistic thing to do, he couldn't help but feel remorse about it. He respected his old master far too much for that and realized it only after he had acted. He wished he could take it all back and do it the right way. This was his chance.

"I did not expect you to survive Revan. But now I am glad to see that you did. So tell me, is it revenge you seek at this reunion?" He asked.

Steve couldn't answer in words or it would throw the whole thing off. Instead, he answered by removing the lightsaber hilt from his belt and spinning it vertically in his hand. In a sign of acknowledgement, Malak grabbed his lightsaber and stepped back to the middle of his meditation chamber. Steve followed him in the room and the door closed behind him. Many of the people he crossed on the way down would have loved a chance to see this duel, but it was not meant to be seen by anyone. Only one person would leave that room alive, and it was up to that person to reveal the details he wished to share.

After a moment of stillness, Steve ignited his perfect crimson lightsaber and swirled it into the stance Revan had preferred to use. It was a very intriguing stance that was meant to demonstrate will power. It was used to send that message when Revan used it, but now Steve was using it as an identity that only Revan would have. It was like a signature that would prove who he was supposed to be in case there would ever be a doubt: Though he had Revan's power and teachings, he had a personality of his own that would most likely show itself during the duel. It was not unexpected for people to change a habit like a fighting style, but, this way, it was safe to assume Malak would remain fooled until his time comes.

Malak ignited his lightsaber very shortly after and couldn't keep himself from giggling. He was happy right now, and, if he still had a jaw, he would be smirking. The duel began with Malak's swift pounce. He was hoping to use his sheer size and strength to knock down his opponent. As he expected, it didn't work. His old master was much too quick to be had that way. He was even happier now. The next thing he tried was what he had practiced the most under Darth Revan's teaching: he used the force to give him immense physical speed and strength, which was just as soon matched by his opponent. The next few minutes of dueling were among the most intensive demonstrations of speed and agility anyone could ever hope to witness in the last few millennia of Sith-duel history. The air would not sit still long after the duel would be over. The speed of their muscles would be enough to tare anyone else's ligaments or even brake their bones. The impact caused by their interconnecting blades could be felt through their entire body and shook the very floor they were standing on.

"I see that you haven't lost your touch with your techniques, but I sense something different in your fighting. You don't strike with as much anger as you should. Perhaps it is because you have left your title of Dark Lord with me for too long. Perhaps you should have come back sooner. Don't you feel the need your vengeance is creating within you? Don't you wish to die honoring that call?" Malak inquired.

Again, Steve had to respond with motion only. This time however it was something of his own. It was certainly not a new maneuver, but it certainly wasn't something Revan had taught him, and it may be enough to surprise Malak. It was an aggressive maneuver. It consisted of marching towards the enemy until they are too close to each other to swing their lightsaber, and then it would become an elegant display of wrist spins ant trusts that were very hard to avoid form that range. Though it served to make Malak uncomfortable for a moment, it did not create an opening that was suitable for a mortal blow. Steve had to come up with another trick.

This time, Darth Malak felt he should try something new. Even now, he followed into Revan's ways. If Revan did something, he had to do it. Revan was incredibly wise and anything she did served a purpose. Even now, he would try to learn a piece of her wisdom. He wanted to try something new himself. He wanted to try using some hand-to-hand techniques in addition to his attacks for a while, once again hoping for his superior strength to give him the advantage. This method, however, was highly discouraged amongst the Jedi and even the Sith because it was very risky: Most of the time it would end up costing someone's limb. It is very difficult to defend oneself with a lighsaber and defend the limb one attacks with at the same time. However, these two people were incredible. They would be capable of doing it. It did not go as he had expected. The hits he landed did not make his opponent budge as he had hoped. He had hoped the pain and bruises it would cause to break his opponent's concentration, but, instead, it only served to fortify this one even more. After a few hits and kicks, Steve was so focused that he could almost write down the next series of moves down in details before they happened. It was like he was struck by lightning, and, instead of wounding him, it gave him power. This time, he would do the hitting. The first few moved he made were meant to seem defensive while we mustered the power into his arm to hit Malak. As he had foreseen, it hit him straight onto his rib cage, and there was a snapping noise. He had successfully broken two of his ribs. If Malak were smaller, it could have been three, but he was a big man. Unprepared for such a powerful blow, Malak stepped back with one hand pressed against his side. He was in pain, but he would endure it. This wasn't enough to defeat him. The next few time, Steve had success in landing a few more hits, one after the other. He was getting tired of hitting. He had to end this.

Before he could try something else, he predicted that Malak would attempt to throw him away. Malak felt he was losing and had to use his force abilities instead of his damaged body to defend himself. It failed miserably as Steve simply stopped his attack and continued fighting. Malak was beginning to feel hopeless, and it made him more aggressive. His despair had made him irrational and weak. He tried to kick his enemy on the chest only to have his leg caught by him instead. With one had on his saber hilt and the other one holding Malak's foot Steve could end this battle however he saw fit. Instead of decapitating or striking him dead, Steve decided to give him a slow death: Enough time to let him know who he was facing. Besides, he had promised to deliver a massage to him. It was something both he and Revan wanted him to hear. Steve quickly threw Malak's leg to his side that started Malak on a fierce spin. He then used his free hand to capture Malak's wrist and slid his lightsaber down against his until it split Malak's hand and hilt in two. Immediately after, Steve turned around and shoved his blade, in reverse, into Malak's stomach. Steve then holstered his lightsaber hilt and removed his mask. Darth Malak fell to his knees and on his only good hand. He looked up at the face of his opponent. Steve's face and hair was sweaty, but he was not out of breath. He breathed silently and looked down at Malak with a minor look of sadness. Killing people was not something he wanted to do. When it's a person that he knew a lot about, it felt like shit. However, he knew everyone would live happier after this, and that made it feel at least a little better.

"Who…cough…cough … who are you?" Malak coughed slowly.

"I am a messenger of Revan's. She wished to convey a message to you before you died." Steve said coolly.

"She wishes you to know that she takes a great part of the blame for your fate… Be still and listen. She wants you to know that she regrets not having spent more time concentrating her efforts on you and less on the battlefield. She feels that you could have been a much greater man if she had trained you the way she wanted to. Most important of all… she forgives you for betraying her. She is sorry to have brought this fate upon you and wishes, most of all, for your forgiveness." Steve conveyed the message, understanding a part of what Revan was feeling when she asked this of him. He was feeling sorry for this man. He had done everything he felt was right and he followed the only one that could make sense of things. Revan was the only leader that was capable of gathering people like that. She brought togetherness to those who felt none. She was a great hero and a role model. It would be ridiculously hard not to follow her. After all this time, it turns out that she had misplaced some of her attention and ended up costing her apprentice's life. It could easily have been her own life instead, if it weren't for the compassion of the Jedi… of Bastila. This was the biggest reason why she wanted Malak to forgive her. She wanted him to understand that it should have been her that died, and because she didn't, it was impossible to go back to the way things were. Malak knew Revan longer than Steve did and understood what the message meant.

"I…forgi…ve …" Malak tried to continue but couldn't. He was dead.

After a moment of inspecting himself, Steve found that he wasn't wounded. He had only been bruised in a few places. He didn't let the pain influence him much. He then placed the breath mask back on and looked around for a computer console. When he found one, he took out the datapad Revan had given him. He plugged it into the computer and uploaded the audio message. This computer was not safeguarded by any password or encryption because it was in a very secure zone. Once the message was uploaded, he followed the instructions left by Revan and begun playing it while he added his holographic presence to the transmission. It was sent to every computer in the Sith fleet. It was a top priority message that could only be sent by the Dark Lord himself. Everyone in range of a Sith console would see the hologram and listen to Darth Revan's words.

"My apprentice, Darth Malak, is dead. His treason has been dealt with. Let this event remind you who you truly serve. There can only be one Dark Lord of the Sith and since Malak failed to kill me, it was not his place to claim this title. For as long as I live, you will serve none other. Everything that Malak has ordered must be stopped immediately. Put your weapons down. There will be no more attempts to conquer what you cannot control. The war is over, and the galaxy is in need of rebuilding. The army must disassemble. You may go back to whatever occupation you wish. As for me, I will be around. I will be a shadow that watches over the galaxy. Anyone who interferes with my plans will regret it. Let this be a warning to those that would betray the Dark Lord Revan."

As he said that, the holographic projection shrunk in size until it could include Darth Malak's corpse, in the middle of his meditation chamber. At that moment, everyone knew what had to be done. Darth Revan was their leader now and always. Everyone understood that Malak had made a mistake to oppose her. She was the true power of the Sith and Malak could never replace her. Though the audience listening to the hologram didn't know why Revan would reject Malak's plans, they would not question her authority. The army would disassemble, and everything would return to normal. The Sith would still have their academies and their old ways. That was how it had to be. Revan had done all she could do with the Sith, and it was time to leave them as she left the Jedi. She did not intend to lead the Sith anymore, and she made sure no one else would either. The chaos that her absence would cause would restore some peace in the galaxy, and, if a new opposition would arise, the sith would be ready for their master to return.

Before Steve left the computer, he sent a message to the Jedi ship that was standing by. They had been hiding in the system of planets around Korriban to hide from the Sith patrols. This way, they would be within range of mid-range transmissions and could return to the surface for a quick pickup. Steve told the Jedi not to fear the capital ship orbiting the planet and to land in the same place as before. They were glad that the mission was a success, but they felt it would be best to keep their distance from the Sith vessel. As promised, it did not pursue them on their way down.

Steve was walking back the way he had come from. This time, all the Sith stood out of his way. When he reached master Uthar, he was greeted with a polite bow. Steve stopped and responded with a polite head bow of his own and kept moving towards the surface. Everyone else followed Uthar's gesture and lowered themselves into a bowing position. Steve did not care about them though; their bow didn't have the same meaning as Uthar's. He kept moving.

Once he was on the Jedi vessel, he felt it was time to take off his mask and uncloak himself. He then sat next to the pilot and sighed. His job was done, and he was happy to go back to Revan's arms. He wanted to give her back what she had given him and more. He couldn't wait to see Revan back to her full potential. Her wisdom and power had become a legend, and he couldn't wait to make it a reality once again. The Jedi did not know it was about to happen. To their knowledge, this power had been Steve's all along. It was impossible to perform a force transference and survive it. It was much less likely for Steve to have been trained so well in such a hurry. No. To their knowledge, Steve had been some kind of rogue who had lived his entire life in training with countless powerful people. They figured he served Revan in one way or another. Whether it was helping her in the Mandalorian war or it was accomplishing various tasks, he had to have been there all along. Though it would be very unlikely that he had served in the wars and not be known to anyone, it was a possibility. The Jedi council could not detect anything from his past, present or future. His mind block was impenetrable. A trait he no doubt gained from Revan herself.

It would not be long now before the Jedi learn who he really was and what he had really come to do. Revan and Steve had no plans to be around the Jedi when it was going to take place though, and, when they do find out, they will not dare stop them. However, they would do something about it, and, given the chance, they would try and take her powers away. It was their duty to the galaxy. Revan was their responsibility, and, since they had been able to control her, they had to make sure no one would. They had to punish Revan for her crimes, and they could not let her disconnect herself form the Jedi and keep such dangerous powers. It would be bad for their reputation to let her leave them again with all of her capabilities. Though they believed she was worthy of being redeemed, she still represented the Jedi's failures everywhere she would go unless her connection to the force was permanently severed.

Steve knew enough about the Jedi to know what they would do when Revan had her powers back, but after glimpsing at the future he saw that, in the end, it would all be well. He had to return to his present concerns because, by now, the Jedi pilot had begun a conversation.

"Who are you? Really… I must know." He asked.

"It's better if you don't know… don't concern yourself about it. In time, you may learn who I am, and, if you do, you will not care much about it." Steve responded.

"I was wondering, how is it that you could promise that no one will take over the Sith empire? I wasn't informed of the details, and this is one question that I had to ask." The pilot inquired.

Steve turned around to get a good look at him. He could see that he already knew the answer to that question and was merely trying to confirm it. After a moment of consideration, Steve confessed, giving away the answer without making anything clear:

"By making them understand that they still do have a leader, no one will step up. It is the Sith way; they will only follow one person at a time."

"It's Revan. I knew it. Because of you, they still follow her don't they?" A pause followed and Steve didn't answer.

"Why would they follow her the way she has become?" he continued.

"They will never question her authority, and they never did. She will always be a leader to them. Besides, they don't know that she lost her abilities, and those that find out wont share that information with anyone." Steve explained the situation.

"What do you mean _those that find out_?" he inquired.

"Well it won't be a secret for very long. Whatever the Jedi know, the Sith will eventually discover" Steve clarified.

"But if they know she is powerless, why would they keep it a secret?" the pilot asked.

Steve could help but laugh at his confusion. How can a Jedi not understand his enemy enough to know the answer to this? How could the Sith ways be such a mystery to them? Why haven't they learned this about them just as any warrior would learn of his enemies? Sure, the Jedi masters knew all this, but why keep it a secret? Like many other things, Steve thought it was probably because the Jedi masters didn't even trust their own people with information that could distract them or influence them. What they didn't know didn't hurt them. The masters could keep their people ignorant for as long as they want. This was their way of keeping them under control. Steve couldn't help but see the irony in that. The Jedi were a lot more like the Sith were then they realized. It was only the method of control that was different, but the belief system was the same. The masters used their wisdom to dominate their pawns, and the sith used their power. Both ways were wrong. Dishonesty could seem a more peaceful method of control, but it was still wrong. From the moment they are conscious, the young Jedi are taken in the order and kept under control. They are told that emotion and attachments were dangerous. A Jedi had to live in a prison of their mind for their entire life. A person was simply not meant to go on without forming attachments and responding emotionally at times. The combination of having Jedi powers and strong emotions always turned into a disaster. The solution was simple: these two things had to be kept separate. It was the responsibility of the Jedi to keep themselves under control. Those that did not want to live without emotion, and realized that they were never given a choice about it in the first place, were the ones that could become dangerous. It happened often. Almost all of the true Sith consisted of those very people, and this is why the Jedi keep the Sith ways a secret from their own people. The Jedi that were easily tempted by emotion often fell to the dark side; they were called the dark Jedi. Though it took a lot more then that to become a true Sith, it was the beginning.

"The Sith that find out Revan is powerless would not tell a soul because they would take advantage of it and try to kill her themselves. If they could kill her, they could easily gain enough prestige to become Sith Lords themselves. But if all the Sith know, they would not consider killing her worthy of anything. For as long as she lives, the Sith will be kept at bay." Steve said.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" the pilot asked.

"Why not? You deserve to know the truth don't you?" Steve answered with questions of his own.

"No I… Well yes I deserve to know, but, what I mean is, why would you trust me with this information?" He asked.

Steve smiled and said: "We are not enemies. That's all the reason I need."

Steve was going to make a smooth escape from cockpit to get away from this interrogation. Before he was off his seat, he was asked another question.

"What are you and Revan going to do? If what you say is true, and she now has control over the Sith fleet, won't this make us enemies somehow?" This time his confusion made him a little unhappy.

After thinking about it, all Steve could say was: "No."

Before he left the room, Steve added: " Revan has no intention of keeping the Sith fleet in space for long. Like we promised."

The ship landed in the clearing of Dantooine's Jedi enclave, just where it had been over a day ago. No one expected them to arrive so soon except for Revan who had nothing else to do but wait. As soon as she received word that Steve was coming back, she found a spot near the pad as sat there waiting. As soon as the ship's ramps came down, she ran straight into Steve's open arms. They were so happy that they made everyone around uncomfortable. Bastila was on her way up to the landing site to escort Steve to the council for a full briefing. Steve and Revan didn't want to separate again.

"Can she come with us?" Steve asked Bastila while taking Revan's hand. Revan was noticeably older that he was and it made Bastila… uncomfortable. Bastila felt young, but, when she saw this, it made her think of what she was missing in her life. She always wanted to have a friend like that: A man friend. If she didn't feel Steve was too young for her, she would have been a little jealous. Instead, she was envious. She never considered getting involved in a serious relationship with a man and much less with a younger one. When she observed the couple in front of her, she felt it was natural and wasn't upset about it anymore.

"I'll inform the council of your request." She answered.

Bastila Shan suddenly felt lonely. She was a good person, but, because of the way she acted around people, she had trouble making friends. She was proud, stubborn and mostly unpleasant to be around. Before now, she didn't care much what people thought of her. She knows that anyone that can't see past her indisputable faults was not worthy of being her friend. Bastila realized that Revan was the only one in a long time who didn't seem to have a bad impression of her. She was curious to know why. Sometimes, Bastila felt like such a bitch and couldn't expect anyone to like her. After Steve had left the last meeting, the Jedi council members had given her an assignment that would give her the chance to find out why Revan, of all people, could see past her bad side and be interested in her. For now, this would have to wait.

All of the council members were present this time. They let Revan in with Steve, knowing that she would hear everything that was discussed in this meeting afterwards, regardless of Jedi confidentiality. Steve did not have to play by their rules and would have told her everything anyway. Once again, Steve had to avoid giving any details of his mission. Everything had to be as general as possible, enough to be convincing though. The masters didn't insist on hearing the details now because they were patient. They would know all they needed to know in good time. To accelerate the interrogation process, Steve handed them the datapad that Revan had given him. He had deleted everything except the holographic image of Malak's dead body, lying in the middle of his meditation chamber. It was enough to convince the masters that the deed was done.

"Very well, you and Revan may go." Said Vandar, looking up from the holographic image.

"Just remember that we still don't trust you, and, if our paths cross again, we may not be as compassionate. Our business is done here and if we meet again, we will do what we want with the both of you." Master Vrook threatened. He was not the only one on the council who opposed the idea of letting them go. Now that they held their part of the deal, they would not repeat this mistake again, if they get another chance. Steve bowed as politely as he could and left the room with Revan.

As much as they wanted to, they couldn't just leave yet. They still couldn't go anywhere without a ship. Since the Jedi didn't need the cargo ship they had leant her, Revan thought she could probably afford to buy it off them. When she talked to the Jedi officials, she got a much better deal than she expected. No doubt this ship had been prepared with homing devices. They expected her to be desperate enough to get off the planet that she would not care if it was going to be tracked. They were right; Revan didn't care if they tracked her for a while. She would soon find and deactivate all of the devices before they reach a permanent residence. Besides, she was going to trade the ship in to get a better one, eventually. For now, it really was time for her to find a place to go to. In order to find a residence that fit her needs, she would have to look into the galactic database. Previously, a database like this could be found on Taris. However, Malak had turned that planet into rubble. Revan would have to go to the next best choice. There were several galactic databases on Nar Shaddaa. Revan did not like that planet at all. It could be dangerous, but it was better that the alternative planets. At least, while she was there, she would be hard to find.

The journey would take very long with such a slow ship. Since she and Steve had much to do, it was only convenient to have the time and place to do it. For as long as they were in hyperspace, they could do all they want. They got started on the transference right away. It was a little different than the last time. Not only was it Steve who was conducting it, it was also different because they were both present in the flesh. They could feel each other for the entire time. They were connected much more intensely this time, and they felt very comfortable. They could feel each other's thoughts as clearly as their own. It was a perfect moment. Nothing in the world could feel better. It was love.

After a transference like that, there could never be any secrets between each other. Though Steve had given Revan back all of her powers, he still had some of her in him. There was a place in him that had remainders of Revan's soul. What he gave to her was the same. He had given her a piece of his soul. With that and her powers back, Revan felt almost perfect. All she needed now was to hold Steve in her arms.

She adored him. After what they had shared of each other, she couldn't find anything at all about him that she didn't adore. Even his lust for her was adorable. Seeing into his mind, she knew he would not ask her to make love to him. Though he certainly loved her with all the purity of his soul, he had the intention of treating her as his leader rather than a lover. He had unimaginable respect for her and that was far more important to him that mere animal lust. They were undeniably soul mates though, and his intense respect would not oppose it if Revan were seeking sexual pleasure from him. In fact, he would love to have sex with her.

Revan waited until Steve felt more energetic. The transference had tired him a lot, but he recovered fairly quickly. When she saw that he was feeling better, she started taking off the parts of her uniform that was still on him. At the same time, she was undressing herself. She was not interested in wearing Jedi robes; instead, she wore a simple white tank top with a red vest and flexible dull-gray pants. When she was finished taking his clothes off and was half way done with hers, she felt his skin was a little colder to the touch than normal. She laid her naked bosom against his lying body while she worked off the rest of her clothing. While she kissed him, she reached down to his manhood and guided it inside her. It didn't take long before she warmed him up to a normal body temperature. Revan had a lot of heat to send his way. They were terribly comfortable in each other's arms and they wanted to stay like that forever. They slept in each other's warmth.

Many hours later, Revan woke up. She had to get up to check on the ship's current trajectory. Steve was still sleeping. She covered him with some robes and got dressed. When she sat in the cockpit and looked at the horizon, she realized there was nothing about this ship that was suitable to them anymore. They were behind schedule, and Revan had only to look at the hyperspace window to see that they were moving slower than she had ever seen a ship fly. She thought she might as well shop for a better ship while she was in a city. She had almost forgotten that she had her powers back. She had gone long enough without it, and, now that she had it back, she realized she had many things to do. Much of the future could be seen in the many hours of hyperspace travel that was left. She meditated the remainder of the trip.

What she saw wasn't unexpected. She looked closely at what was awaiting them on Nar Shaddaa and saw that she had very little to worry about. She would have to prepare Steve for it though. He had no weapons anymore. The lightsaber was hers to use now, and she would have to ask Steve if there was another weapon he would prefer to use. She had an idea of what he would answer, but, since Steve was no warrior, she could not be sure what he would want. Steve woke up a quarter of an hour before the ship reached its destination. He put on the clothes he had made for himself back on his old planet and joined Revan in the cockpit.

"It's nice." She said. Steve didn't know what she was talking about until she pointed at his outfit. It was a tight black single-piece that had a zipper in the back instead of the front. It covered everything except his hands and head and part of his neck. It covered his feet with a thick padding of some kind. He didn't like wearing boots. This was like a compromise between wearing shoes and wearing nothing but sox. His outfit was not perfect though. It looked like it was patched together instead of being made of a single piece of fabric. It looked sturdy though.

"Oh that. Thanks"

Steve then talked about it for a while, about how he wanted to make it originally and how he had to make a few compromises. It was mostly how he wanted it. Revan had to talk to him about weapons though.

"What would you like to use as far as weapons are concerned?" She inquired.

"More than anything else?" He asked. Revan nodded. "Well actually, I'd like to have a shield… Just a shield for now I guess." He answered.

"Just a shield?" She asked, a bit surprised.

"Ya, well I'd like to defend myself, but, if I can run from trouble, I will. A shield would definitely keep me safe while I let you deal with the rest." He smiled.

"Don't you want a blaster or something to go with it?" She asked.

"No. Well… not yet. I don't think it will be very useful against anyone with a lightsaber. Besides, I don't have any other enemies at the moment, and I don't plan on making any. You know what, I'd be more comfortable with a shield in one had and nothing in the other. This way, I could concentrate more on my escapes. It wouldn't be easy to open a door with both hands full." They both laughed.

"Well you know what; I think that's a great idea. I'll get you something really good." Revan promised.

They approached a landing pad and signaled their intensions to land. The voice that was communicating with them mentioned the price, procedure and such. When they landed, they were greeted by the one that sent the communication. Revan paid him, and he left them alone.

"I want you to stay with the ship ok?" She asked Steve.

When he looked closely at her expression, he understood she was serious. It meant she foresaw the events that were about to take place, and Steve wasn't going to question her decision; he trusted her more that he did himself. He answered with a nod and a kiss of her hand as Revan made her way to the city. She wouldn't be able to gain access to the database until she reserved it. She would have plenty of time to spend with him before she did the rest of her shopping.

Steve went back in the ship for a moment, and then he turned back. He preferred to stand outside rather than to wait in the ship. After an hour of waiting, he started to walk around the landing pads, never leaving the ship out of sight for long. He found a set of stairs that led to a lower section of the port. It was a clearing that was directly underneath the landing pad that the ship was on. It was set parallel to the edge of the tall structures that made the city reach the sky. It was a long way down to the surface from here. He didn't like cities. One that was at such unsafe altitudes made him hate cities even more. He looked out into the horizon to where the sun was setting. He wasn't used to traveling very much and almost forgot it was always a different time zone wherever he went. He had just slept; which meant he would be awake during the entire night here on Nar Shaddaa. He looked up at the ship and saw everything was still in order. He wanted to continue walking around.

He was about to climb up the stairs he had taken to come down only to be stopped midway. There were two men slowly descending towards him. They were Sith from the looks of things. Steve started stepping backwards down the stairs. The two men smirked and took out lightsabers from their outfits. Steve kept walking backwards until he reached the lower level. There was no escape from here… except off the ledge. Steve though about it but didn't like the idea of plummeting down to his death anymore than being split by a lightsaber. However, he remembered that it was Revan's idea that he should stay there, and that meant that, whatever would happened, he would be safe. He didn't run away. The two Sith split up and surrounded their prey. They were no doubt waiting for Revan's return and hoping to catch her off guard. When they saw the man she was traveling with guarding the ship, they waited until the right moment to trap him.

The two Sith ignited they lightsabers and began circling their prey. They wanted to have some fun before killing Steve. He was unarmed and they couldn't feel the presence of the force about him. They started with mild hits of their fists and feet while keeping him inside a tight circle using threats of attacking with their laser blades. They slowly hit him down to his knees, enjoying every moment. Steve was not hurt, but he was humiliated, and, to the Sith, that was enjoyable. The two Sith started waving their lightsabers around him, close enough for Steve to feel the life-threatening heat they could unleash. This little parade of theirs didn't last long. The Sith man that was closest to the steps had been pierced through the chest by a yellow lightsaber blade. When he fell to the ground, Steve noticed bastila descending the rest of the way down the stairs. Using the force, she dragged her lightsaber back into her hand and reactivated it. Before he could react, Steve was jabbed in the back of the head by the bottom of the Sith's lightsaber hilt; enough to disable him for a few moments while the Sith attacked the Jedi. When Steve came back to consciousness, he saw that Bastila had her handful. This Sith knew what he was doing. When Bastila paused, the Sith decided to take advantage of the situation and made his way back to Steve. Steve was trying to get up at the time, and, when he saw the Sith come for him, he started rolling slowly to the ledge of the clearing. The sith was smiling at the fate Steve decided for himself and followed his movement, slowly walking towards the edge himself. He wanted to see it when it happened. Steve rolled all the way to it and griped it tightly with both his hands as the rest of his body followed gravity's pull. The Sith was laughing. He was waiting to see if he was going to let go or cower in that helpless position for long.

Bastila was about 15 feet behind the Sith, observing what was going on. She didn't care much for Steve's life, however, if Revan knew Bastila could have saved him, everything might be jeopardized. Still, she wasn't going to get herself killed trying to save him. Steve was not in an easy position to be saved from. She had to wait until the opportune moment to intervene.

"Push him off the edge!" Steve shouted.

In a split second, there was a shockwave that sent the Sith flying off the edge and all the way down to his death. It also pushed Steve's hands a little and made one of them lose its grip on the edge. The other one was hanging with only two fingers now. Bastila quickly grabbed his arm and help him back up on the flat surface.

"What the hell happened to you? You have some explaining to do little man!"

Bastila shouted annoyed by the fact that nothing Revan did was less that a mystery. She kept her lightsaber on, not knowing if Steve would attempt an escape. He wasn't about to run; his head hurt. Besides, he felt safe with Bastila. Moreover, from whatever little he knew about her, he liked her. He could tell she was a good person from the moment he saw her. Sometimes, during the meetings, she would show signs of concern that gave it away. Though she was a great Jedi, she also was a lot more emotional that the others. Steve really liked that about her; it made her seem more real. He didn't care that she was being aggressive towards him now because he was really looking forward to talking to her. From what Revan had told him about her, she had a knack at creating bad first impressions of herself. That made him like her even more.

"Why are your powers gone? Tell me now!" She requested while reminding him that she had a ready lightsaber, ready to dig the answers out of him if she had to.

Steve hadn't left the floor from the moment he was helped off the edge. He was on his knees with one hand on the floor and the other on the back of his head where he had been hit.

"I gave it back… all of it." He answered.

"What are you talking about? To whom?" She didn't understand.

"Revan. I gave it back to her." He clarified.

"What are you talking about? Where is Revan?" She was getting annoyed.

"She's gone shopping in the city. She only leant her powers to me temporarily. I gave it back." He said simply.

"Why would you lie to me? I saved your life! Answer me." She insisted.

"No doubt you've been send to spy on us. Well, let me tell you in ways you can understand: Revan has all the power she ever had and maybe even more. Me, I have no powers. Whether you believe it or not, I never had any until I met her. I am just simple man from the primitive cultures beyond the outer rim." He explained.

"You are more than you are trying to make me believe or Revan would not be with you." Bastila observed.

"Maybe she just likes my company, haven't you thought about that?" Steve teased.

"Don't joke about it. She expects something from you, what is it? What does the Dark Lord want with someone like you? I want the truth." She demanded.

"Look, why don't we go someplace else and talk about this? Revan will be back soon and I think, maybe, you should be prepared with the right idea before you see her." Steve proposed.

"Alright, let's get to your ship and talk." She accepted.

As soon as they entered the ship, Steve made his way to the medical compartment that was right next to the loading ramp. Bastila readied her lightsaber for any trickery that Steve was preparing. When she saw the bandages and painkillers he took out of it, she placed her hilt back on her belt and helped him wrap the bandages on his head. Steve swallowed a few tablets and then turned around to look directly into Bastila's eyes.

"Look, I… Thank you for saving my life. You have no idea how much it means to me." He thanked her.

"I'm a Jedi, I did what I had to do." Bastila confessed.

"No, don't say that. It's not because of what you are that you do the things you do. You didn't have to save me… and you didn't have to save Revan that day… Though I am sure as hell grateful about it." Steve remarked.

Bastila noticed that he was talking about Revan's life when he was saying that he was grateful and remembered how they held each other at the landing site of the Jedi enclave, just a few days back.

"You like her don't you?" She asked realizing her question was a little off subject.

"I love Revan and she loves me. You saved both are lives and she will remember you forever." He answered.

"She is the Dark Lord of the Sith; what makes you think she would care about what a Jedi did for her." Bastila questioned.

"She isn't the Dark Lord anymore… well, technically she is, but you'll see what I mean when you see her." He let the mystery fill the space for a moment.

"I've notice some strange behavior coming from her, but noting she did was enough to prove she has changed. Apart from her obvious attachment to you, I suppose." She remarked.

"I never said it would be easy to convince you. I am just saying that you will see how she changed eventually. You are here to spy on us aren't you?" Steve asked as the bandages were finished being wrapped around his injured head.

"Yes I am" She replied.

"Well, hear me out, I have a suggestion to make. Why don't you travel with us? Revan mentioned that she was getting a bigger ship. We will have plenty of room for an extra passenger. It'll make things easier for all of us. This way, you'll do all the spying you were sent to do and more." Steve suggested.

Bastila was confused. She thought: _Why the hell would he make a suggestion like that? What possible advantage would it bring them? If Revan wanted to kill me, she could do that very soon… It wouldn't make sense to have me around reporting back her every move to the council._

"Why would Revan want a spy onboard her ship?" Bastila finally asked.

The answer to that question was obvious to him but understood why Bastila could be confused.

"Because I want to be your friend. She wants to be your friend. We want to be friends with you Bastila, and we only want the greatest of things to happen to you. Why should you travel alone? Why would you deny yourself the simple pleasure of having company? Don't answer. Just think about it. When Revan gets here, you'll have a better idea of what to answer." He said.

Bastila felt Revan's approach. When she went down the ramp with Steve, she noticed she was holding something in her hand. Steve immediately recognized the item and went to pick it up when Revan offered it to him.

"Thank you, it's perfect" Steve said after observing the force shield. It was a simple but effective device. It was shaped like big kite that, when set down, would cover up to Steve's collar bones. It was made of a strong metal along the perimeter of it, where the force field mechanism was. The rest of it was mostly empty space so you can see perfectly well trough it at all times. It had only an arm brace in the top center of it. That was the only thing holding it together, but it seemed very stong regardless. The armbrace was a great idea. Instead of holding the shield with your hand, this held the forearm in place making it impossible to drop even under heavy impacts. After taking it from her hands, he gave Revan a hug. After the hug, Revan pulled back enough to get a good look at his injured head and touched it gently. Revan smiled and looked at Bastila, who was still standing on the ship's ramp, observing everything that was happening.

"I know what it is you did and I thank you. You will always be welcome in our home Bastila Shan."

"We have a lot of things to discuss you and I." Bastila said calmly.

"Of course, I would be happy to answer any question you ask."

Revan made her way back in the ship with Bastila and Steve. They sat down around the only table in the ship.

"The Jedi council sent me here to spy on you. What do you have to say about that?" Bastila asked.

"Well, I understand why they want to spy on me and that's why I am willing to cooperate. I have nothing more to hide. They can observe what I do and choose to believe what they want to believe. I am just glad they sent you." Revan confessed.

"I volunteered. They wanted to send someone and I immediately stepped forward." Bastila responded honestly.

"Why did you volunteer?" Revan asked.

"I wanted to be the first one to gather this information. No, I wanted make sure I could access the every detail of our findings. This was the only way." Bastila confessed.

"There is more to it than that… you must have wanted to come here to ask questions of your own. Questions that you wanted to keep off the record. Didn't you?" Revan observed.

"I… Yes there are many things that I wish an explanation for. Everything about you is mystery to everyone." The Jedi answered.

"It will all come in time, I promise. Just try to keep an open mind about what you learn on your stay here in Nar Shaddaa and wherever else our travels bring us." Revan said.

"Steve mentioned that I was welcome to travel as a passenger on your ship… and I'd like to discuss that with the council before making a decision… If you feel the same way as he does, that is." Bastila noticed the smile Revan sent in Steve's direction.

"I would be happy to have you as a passenger on our voyage… our next ship will be more suitable for all of us." Revan said.

"Steve and I have some more business to take care of here. We should be ready to leave here in less then six hours. I will meet you here and take you to our new ship when it is done." Revan added.

Bastila nodded and left the ship.

She was thinking about everything. A lot of it didn't make any sense. She went back to the ship she came with. It was a small fighter with hyperspace capabilities. It wasn't much, but it had been fast enough to catch up to Revan's cargo ship and follow it closely enough to land near it. Bastila activated her communications array and summoned the Jedi council. Most of them were there.

"I have very important information about Revan." Bastila started.

"Go on." Master Vandar said.

"Somehow she was able to regain her powers. Also, her companion lost his power… all of it. They told me that…" Bastila begun until she was interrupted by master Vrook.

"Why have you approached them? Your duty was to spy on them and report to us." Vrook said plainly, meaning no disrespect.

"I had to. A Sith faction had followed them here and attacked Steve." She reported.

"Why did you defend him and reveal your presence?" Vrook kept inquiring.

"He was defenseless! I couldn't just let him die. If he died… and Revan found out I could have prevented it… who know what she would have done." She clarified.

"You made the right choice. Revan could have guessed we were onto her." Master Jarr approved.

"Continue." Vandar said.

"As I was saying, Steve explained to me that it was due to a force transference. He also said that he was originally from the primitive cultures of beyond the outer rim and that it was. I don't know if any of it is true for sure. However, since Steve did not have his powers anymore, I probed him. I didn't sense any deception… Could such a transference be done?" Bastila inquired.

"No. A successful attempt of such a thing is unheard of. Besides, you were there when she had lost her powers… Her companion was not." Vrook answered.

"I was there. Somehow I don't think it was her near-death experience that made her lose her powers. I don't know what to say except that, in the current situation, Revan has the mantle of Dark Lord of the Sith and all the power that comes with it. Steve was not who we feared him to be. Of this, I am sure of."

She explained.

"If so, why was her companion attacked by the Sith?" Vandar asked.

"I don't know… all I know for sure is that he was not their primary target: they attacked him for the simple pleasure of it… I saw it. They must have been waiting for Revan to come back to her ship to ambush her. I can't explain why they are after her. Somehow, I don't think Revan was surprised by the attack." She continued.

"What do you think Revan and her companion are up to?" Jarr asked.

"I don't know. Their plans completely elude me. There are so many mysteries that surround Revan. She seems different. Happier. I don't sense much of the dark side in her… though it is unquestionably there." Bastila answered.

"You may continue to spy on them. At the first sign of trouble, report to us." Master Vandar ordered.

"Wait, there's more. I was invited to travel as a passenger aboard their ship. For some reason, they seem interested in me. I want to go with them. There is so much more I could learn if I can keep my eyes and ears at their side." Bastila added.

"You may do as you wish. However, if Revan still has the taint of the dark side within her, she cannot be trusted. She is still very dangerous. I expect you to be vigilant about this." Master Vrook said with unease.

"I don't think she wants to harm me or she would have done it already." Bastila observed.

"There are fates that are far worse than physical harm. If you travel with them, you must distinguish whether or not their intentions are honorable." Vrook said.

"Yes master." She said.

"May the force be with you young Jedi." Master Vandar said before terminating the connection.

After the transmission was over, Bastila Shan went back Revan's ship to wait form them to return. She had thought of some of the possibilities of what Revan might try to do. Bastila wanted to be ready if Revan had plans to escape. When she arrived at the landing platform, she sat down and meditated on the possibilities. She was preparing herself. If she had to track down where Revan was going, it would make things easier to know where to find the clues. She searched in her mind.

In the mean time, Revan and Steve were walking in the city. They suddenly stopped at a public bar.

"There are more Sith here hunting us. I want you to be my decoy: Draw them out to you. I want you to go in there and order a drink. Wait a while and get your shield ready. Stay alive until I come help." Revan said. Steve nodded and walked in the bar to sit at the counter. He did what he was told. He kept his shield strapped around his forearm and let it stand next to his stool while he drank his beverage with his other hand and waited. Twenty minutes later, the doors swung open. It was the only way in or out of the bar and right now, there were four Sith assassins walking into the bar.

They looked around the room and noticed Steve sitting by himself at the counter. The four Sith walked straight for him while everyone else was running out the door in anticipation of their business there. Moments later, there was only a few spectators left in the room, too drunk to care what was happening and too far away to be in their way. Steve kicked over his stool and readied his shield. Once activated, it had a very silent hum that accompanied a very dim blue-transparent light that covered the full front side of the structure. The force field also bent a little around the edges to protect the side of the shield, all around its perimeter. The only danger to this setup was the attacks that came from behind the shield, though it would be very hard to catch Steve off guard. When the four Sith came within ten feet of their prey's current location, Steve jumped onto the counter and climbed down on the other side of it where all the liquor was. There was no way out of there, but, at least, this way, he could separated himself from the Sith for a moment. Soon after, one of the assassins ignited his lightsaber and jumped over the counter to join Steve. The rest of the Sith stood around to watch the hopeless fight that was about to take place. They would enjoy every moment of it.

The man that followed Steve on the other side of the counter started to strike at Steve's shield. His efforts were in vain, but he had many other tricks he would try. When he was annoyed by his failed attempts, he used the force to push Steve onto the glass shelves that held all the liquor bottles. Steve's body shattered all the glass while it was being projected towards the nearest end of the counter. Steve then smashed against the wall at the end of the counter. He was surprised to see how well his outfit had protected him from the shattered glass and by how he was left unharmed by his abrupt landing. The Sith all laughed at the show and became silent when they saw Revan enter the room.

They all looked over at the swinging doors, except for Steve, who already knew what was going on and couldn't see it even if he tried since he was on the floor of broken glass underneath the counter. He took advantage of the distraction. He quickly got up on his feet and charged at the Sith that had been attacking him. The sith saw it coming and readied himself for the impact. Steve slammed against him and pushed him all the way past the middle of the counter. The other three Sith went after Revan.

Revan was summoning the full power of the force to create an excessively powerful electrical field between her and the nearest Sith assassin. In an instant, there was a flash of thin blue lightning strips that went through the Sith's body. He was dead before he hit the floor. The electricity had conducted itself through his bloodstream and instantly burnt his internal organs to a crisp. The other two Sith radically slowed their pace down as they realized that Revan was no longer the powerless prey they were sure she was. They cautiously activated their lightsabers and surrounded her. She took her hilt of her belt and lit up the perfect crimson blade Steve had made from her instructions.

Steve still had to help himself for as long as Revan was busy with the other two assassins. He quickly pressed his shield on his opponent and picked up a liquor bottle from the unbroken part of the bar's shelves. He then took a step back and threw the bottle through the red blade that was being waved at him. As it made its way towards Steve's opponent, it started to split itself on the red blade. A fraction of a second later, the bottle blew itself to bits and unleashed a river of flaming liquid onto the Sith's face and chest. The flames soon died out as the liquid quickly vaporized itself. The Sith was still alive and now, he was an angry man. Steve quickly picked up another bottle from the shelf. Just as he was about to toss it, the Sith moved his blade out of the way. He was quick to learn but Steve was quicker. Immediately after the blade was out of the way, Steve drove the lower part of his shield into the other man's Adams apple. He noticed he had successfully injured his enemy. Moments later, he realized that the Sith assassin was not just distracted, he was choking on his own caved-in larynx. Steve looked over at Revan who was still fighting off the two Sith. Steve thought: _If she hasn't killed them yet she must be trying to learn something._ Steve observed as Revan only defended herself at the same speed the attacker were attacking. She was probing them for information at the same time. When she was through learning what she could, she swung her lightsaber around herself at arm's lengths as fast as it could be done. The two Sith around her became four separate pieces.

"Let's get out of here." Revan said to Steve while pushing through the crowd that was waiting outside of the bar. They held each other's hands and found a quiet alley to lay low for a while and kept quiet as the city officials rushed to the crime scene. When they were gone, Revan pulled Steve's hand to tell him to keep following her.

"Where are we going?" He asked.

"I want to show you where our new ship is." She answered. When they were in a safer part of the city, they slowed down their pace.

"I saw how you fought back there. I am very proud of you." Revan observed.

"Nothing makes me happier than to make you proud, Revan." Steve smiled.

"I was expecting you to ask me to buy you a blaster to go with your shield, but now I see how just having the shield can be even greater." Revan explained.

"Well, I guess I'll never cease to amaze you, now won't I?" Steve smiled.

"Of course! Why else would I let a commoner, like you, follow me around?" She teased him and they laughed. Revan kissed him on the cheek and put her hand on his shoulder. As they approached the shipyard, Revan pointed at they new ship.

"There it is. They told me it was called the Ebon Hawk. It's a small cargo ship, but it's bigger and much more passenger-friendly than the Jedi ship. There are six beds I think. There are two bath rooms and it has a centered gun turret. Apparently, it was recently salvaged and repaired. I sold our old ship for more than I bought it, so I can afford this one. Hmmm. I have to go now. I have access to the database for the next hour, so I have to make good use of my time. Go get Bastila and bring her here to our new ship." Revan let go of his shoulder and left in a hurry.

Bastila was meditating. She was imagining many scenarios trying to understand more about Revan. She could never get close to anything that made sense, but she persisted. When she felt someone approach, she opened her eyes and looked at the incoming traveler. She saw Steve walking towards her with his shield alongside him. He was smiling. When he was close enough to talk, he said: "Hey". Then he walked up to where she was sitting and continued:

"Revan showed me our new ship. I hope you like it; it should be comfortable to all of us." Steve lent a hand to Bastila to help her get up, but she stood up on her own.

"Follow me." He said with the same smile he had approached with.

They walked in silence for a few minutes and then Bastila talked:

"Why is Revan so mysterious?" She asked almost only to herself.

"She isn't mysterious; she is mystified; it's different. What people think they know about her is wrong and it makes the things they don't know seem impossible. I don't blame them. I mean, she has changed a lot from the moment she left the Jedi, and, even now, she is changing. What you have to understand, and what people don't want to understand, is that Revan was never evil. Believe me, when I met her, she was filled with the dark side. Even then, she was true to herself. She told me she could control the dark side and ignore its temptations. She could use its power to do what she had to do and never regret it. Everything she had done was a duty to her. Now it's different. She doesn't feel that she has a duty anymore… she only wants peace." Steve tried to explain it as best he could, hoping Bastila believed him.

"I never heard of anyone who could use the dark side of the force and not become a slave to its will." She said.

"Well, you probably never heard of someone transferring her force powers onto someone else who lives on the other side of the galaxy either… You probably haven't heard of it because no one lived to tell the tale. You'll have to get used to witnessing strange things when you are around someone as powerful as she is." Steve explained.

"I don't doubt Revan's abilities; it's her intentions that I doubt." Bastila clarified.

"But you do doubt her abilities! You said it yourself: everything about Revan mystifies you. It's because you doubt her abilities that you doubt her intentions. Let me explain: Revan's greatest power is her wisdom. She understands things at a level no one ever achieved before. With the force, she can see into the many futures that can be shaped. Revan always did what was in her power to do. As a Jedi, she had the power to help others, and she did. When the Mandalorians attacked, she had the power to stop them, and she did. She had to give everything up for it. She even had to break her oath to the Jedi and learn the ways of the dark side to win that war. When she felt the dark side calling to her, she did everything in her power to tame it. When she learned more about the force, she gained even more power. She did make mistakes. I can't deny that, but she learned so much from it that she found a way to fix it… and she did. It's still happening now, all around you. Where she had gone wrong, it's becoming a right. The war is over, Malak is dead and people are more unified now than they ever were. She's still learning now, you know, and she will never stop learning. But from now on, she won't need to intervene much to help make things better for everyone. She isn't needed anymore, and all she wants to do is go her own way and keep an eye on the galaxy. She would like a chance to learn what she still has to learn. She strives for the power to keep people from starting wars. Revan and I are here so we can find a peaceful home, away from everything, where she could continue what she started. When you see what she is capable of, you'll understand what her intentions are, I promise you." Steve explained.

Bastila started to think about it for a while. She was not expecting all of that information and felt Steve was honest during the whole time. She was relieved to know some of her many questions could be answered but didn't know if the information was accurate. She had to find out from the source: from Revan herself. She still didn't trust her though. She wanted to, but she feared the worst all the time, and that didn't help anything.

When the two of them reached the ship, they went in to tour the interior. It was far nicer than the other cargo ship, even if this one had many scorch-marks and unrepared components. The first thing Steve noticed when he entered the starboard bedroom was that there were no doors. There was very little hope for privacy in this ship. He found that exciting. It would serve to prove to Bastila that they had nothing to hide, and that would make things easier. After inspecting the rest of the ship, Steve made his way back to the starboard room. He placed his shield in the narrow closet and sat on one of the three beds. He liked the way the room was lit. The lights came from next to the beds and gave it a comfortable feel. His head didn't hurt anymore. He unrolled the bandage off of his head and sighed. He didn't like wearing that thing. It didn't look good on him either. When he was done with it, he threw it in the garbage disposal. He looked at his hand to see if he was still bleeding from the small cuts the glass had done at the bar. It was in very good shape. He didn't bother cleaning it. He then observed his outfit. He couldn't see if it was cut on his backside, so he unzipped it and slipped his torso out of it, followed by his arms. He kept the rest on in case Bastila came back in the room while he was naked. It wouldn't bother him, but he thought it might bother her. He didn't want to look idiotic in front of her. He wanted to be her friend more that anyone else in the world, and he was not about to make her feel uncomfortable.

He laid the upper part of his single-piece outfit beside him on the bed. He spread the sleeves apart and inspected it from the inside first. As he expected, some of the glass pieces had found their way trough it to cut his back. He couldn't even feel it, but when he touched his back and looked at his hands, he found a little blood there and figured most of it had to be dry by then. He then looked at the backside of his outfit and saw a few pieces of glass that were stuck inside it. He took them all out, one by one, and threw the pieces in the garbage. Bastila had finished her inspection of the ship. She had a lot more experience around starships than Steve had, so she had many things to look at. When she saw Steve with all the little cuts on his back and neck, she decided to get the first aid kit out and help him clean it off. Steve would have a hard time doing it on his own and thanked her for her help.

"You're welcome." she said.

"Have you thought some more about traveling with us?" He asked as Bastila zipped his zipper back up.

"I am going to travel with you." She answered.

Steve tuned around to look at her and smiled.

"You won't regret it." He said. "Even though you're not very comfortable in our company, you'll find it more peaceful than you think." He said.

"I really hope you're right." Bastila responded.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3. A New Home

Revan was studying the displays of her search on the galactic database. She was looking for suitable locations that were isolated from the eyes and ears of the public. Upon looking at the data she collected, she noticed a particular settlement that had an intriguing location. It was set on Telos. She had heard of the project to remake the planet habitable, but didn't realize they had come far enough to begin making settlements. Revan researched the method they used to repair the planet's environment and was very pleased. They used very large shields to keep certain zones isolated from the atmosphere and teraformed the planet piece by piece. This meant that the rest of the planet was also isolated from the settlers and the workers. She thought there might be a way to make a residence in a sealed section of the planet, where no one would think of looking. She closed her eyes and probed the planet. She started with the most populated region, which was actually the TSF station orbiting the planet. There was nothing interesting there. She then looked at the new settlements on the regenerated portion of the planet. It had a small population, but it was too risky to live there because it would become more crowded every day. As she thought, she would have to probe the rest of the planet. She inspected the surface carefully and then found something. She felt a disturbance in the force, as she was inspecting the polar region of the planet. _Atris. _She thought almost aloud. _What are you hiding from? _She continued. _Ah yes there it is_, _I feel it now_. She looked into the future and saw some disturbing things. _I have to speak to Steve about this_. She thought.

Revan had no more use for the computer, so she made her way back to the Ebon Hawk. When she got in, she noticed Bastila pressing her hand against a door. "This door won't open" Bastila said after looking in Revan's direction.

"Interesting. I'll get it opened in a moment." Revan replied after inspecting the sealed door carefully. Revan grabbed a piece of metal that was lying around and plied open the door's control panel. She unplugged some of the wires and made them spark with each other for a second. The door then opened.

"HK" Revan said as she looked at her old assassin droid.

"What?" Bastila asked.

"Nothing. Never mind. We won't need this droid anytime soon. Let's just leave it there." She said.

Revan made her way in the Starboard bedroom where Steve was resting. She put her hand on his warm cheek and said:

"Can you join me in the cockpit?" Revan asked.

"Yes of course." Steve stood up and followed her into the cockpit and sat with her.

Bastila shortly followed in and asked: "Where are we going?"

"On Telos, to visit an old friend." Revan answered.

Bastila went back to the ship's common room and sat down on a chair until the ship was in hyperspace. She wanted to go back in the cockpit and get more details before she went to sleep. When she reached the corridor that led to the cockpit, she could hear Revan and Steve talking.

"It's your choice, Steve: whatever you decide, it's ok with me. There isn't much to like from either outcome, but, if you would feel better about giving her a chance, then I am going to support you all the way." Revan said to Steve in a sad tone.

"Is it going to get really bad?" Steve asked.

"I don't know… It's difficult to see. There are many things that can influence the outcome. I can say that, in general, it's bad." Revan said even sadder than before.

"I guess I'll know what to decide when I meet her." Steve said reaching Revan's face with his hand to keep a single tear from falling.

"It has to be this way. Don't be sad. You said it yourself there is a strong chance that I will survive." Steve consoled her.

Bastila was in awe of what she overheard. At first, she thought they were talking about her, and, when she realized it wasn't about her, she wanted to forget everything she heard. This part of the trip was none of her business. She turned around and went the ship's port Bedroom. She was also on a different time schedule. To her, it was much past her sleeping time. As she slept peacefully, she forgot everything she wanted to forget. She had taken in too much information this day for her to handle, and she deserved a break.

The view of Telos' surface was extraordinary. Because of the shields installed, the zones that had been remade looked like giant aquariums filled with plant life. Past that, it was the deserts of ruins. Beyond that, there was the untouched glassier of the planet's polar region. It was beautiful. The flawless white snow covered this region for many square hectometers. In the middle of the snowy mountains, there was a raised circular plane surrounded by four cone-shaped rock towers. It was no doubt artificial. Underneath it must have been an abandoned facility of some sort. However, it was not completely abandoned. Once the Ebon Hawk landed on the surface, Revan ordered everyone to leave everything in the ship and follow her. That meant lightsabers and shields. Bastila needed some convincing before she obeyed.

The outside was terribly cold. Revan reassured everyone that they would not stay there for long. Revan was walking towards a small snow dune that you wouldn't be able to see from any other view. It was some kind of hidden entrance. Before they reached the door, it opened. Five white women, dressed all in white, greeted them. They all held long staves with sharp tips. They were all Echani. They all looked identical except for one of them. The woman in the back of the pack looked a little different.

"Follow us now. If you struggle, we will harm you." One of the women said.

They were led in a holding room that had, coincidently, three force cages. It was a strange but good-looking room. It looked like it was used as a medical bay, storage bay and who knows what else. There were many things in that room, but they all looked clean, white and in order. Everything around was white or light gray-blue. It matched the Echani very well. Everyone was being placed in force cages, and then all the Echani left the room.

Bastila was not amused. She had no idea what was going on, but she didn't ask any questions. She would soon find out. Moments later, a tall woman walked in the room escorted by two of the others. She was Echani by the looks of it but not related to the other ones. It was Atris, a former Jedi council member. She was wise and proud like many of the others. Her reasons for leaving the council and retreat in hiding during the Mandalorian wars were unknown to many. Revan suspected something, though she would soon find out the details. After closely observing every prisoner, Atris said:

"You travel with odd company these days, Revan." She went closer to Bastila's cage and looked at her for a moment.

"You surprise me to travel with a Jedi… I've heard of this one… Bastila Shan, is it not?" She asked to the young Jedi captive.

"I am." Bastila replied.

"A promising young Jedi I was told. Is this another one of your victims, Revan?" She asked coldly.

"No. She's not a victim, she's a spy." Revan explained.

"Even after all this time, the council still doesn't know what to do with you do they?" Atris asked.

"They're not all eager to throw me to wolves like you are Atris." Revan said plainly.

"What about this young man here? Who is he?" Atris asked as she walked to Steve's force cage.

"Nobody." Revan said defensively.

"Nobody?" Atris said sarcastically and grinned at Revan.

"Nobody… Just a simple man I met beyond the outer rim. Leave him out of this." Revan said.

"I have no interest in your companions here, Revan. I want to know why you are here. Explain this to me and I'll consider letting you go." Atris proposed.

"We would like to live here with you… That is if you don't mind." Revan asked, almost sure Atris would not believe her.

"I don't know how you found out about this place but let me tell you something: I don't like you. To me, you represent everything I am trying to get away from. I live here now to stay away from the likes of you. I have some important work to do here, and I won't be bothered by anyone."

"What kind of work?" Bastila asked, expecting to better Atris' mood by showing interest in her work.

"That's not for you to know." Atris replied simply.

"I'll consider letting you go. For now, I have some work to finish. You better behave… all of you." Atris said as she walked out of the room with her escort.

"A simple **no **would have done it." Steve said.

Revan laughed at Steve's sarcastic comment. Bastila looked at them. She was annoyed.

"I don't find any of this very funny." Bastila said seriously.

"What is Atris doing here anyway?" She continued.

"Some important research of some kind." Revan answered seriously as she remembered what she saw of the future.

"She's been in isolation for too long." Revan added in a sigh.

"Why would anyone even think of doing this?" Steve was puzzled.

"She takes her work very seriously. It's not uncommon among Jedi." Revan explained as Bastila looked over to her. She felt targeted by Revan's observation.

"I guess. But it seems so… joyless. It's cruel to ask this of anyone. Why would the council allow this?" Steve continued his questions.

"They value Atris' research more than they do her wellbeing. The Jedi live in servitude. They will do anything they can for whatever benefit they can achieve." Revan explained.

"She must have had the choice, when she was sent here. She may even have volunteered." Bastila said, defending the Jedi way.

"If she was given the choice, it would have made no difference: it would have been the illusion of choice. You can't just say **no** without having consequences." Steve said.

"He has a point." Revan added.

"The consequences would not be so terrible." Bastila said.

"That depends on who is concerned. If it was you who said **no** to the council, how would you feel?" Steve asked Bastila.

"Ashamed?… I don't know. This isn't about me." Bastila said defensively.

"No. I know. I don't mean it that way. I'm just saying that, like you, Atris would feel guilty, ashamed and who knows what else, and it would have terrible consequences on her career. You spend your entire life getting ready for things like this: How **can** you say no?" Steve explained.

"She did the right thing" Bastila persisted.

"Did she? Look, I don't mean any disrespect to your ways of doing things, but, if she did the right thing, why are you still stuck in that force cage?" Steve said seriously.

"She must have a lot of things on her mind; that's all." Bastila said.

"Too many things, I think. It's not good for anyone to have this kind of responsibility, and it will have consequences." Steve added. When he said it, Revan looked away with an expression of sadness and concern.

"What do you think is going to happen?" Bastila asked.

"Don't worry, she'll let us go." Steve reassured her. A few minutes of silence passed, and Revan asked Steve:

"What do you think of Atris?"

"She seems ok. I think she deserves better." He answered seriously. Revan nodded in acknowledgment to his true meaning. He had understood her true question and answered in the same respect. Bastila thought they were still talking about the Jedi thing and didn't realize they had changed the subject.

The rest of the captives' wait was quiet. Everyone sat down to meditate while Steve was just looking around the room and at the two beautiful women next to him. Moments later, two Echani women came in the room and released everyone from their cells. It was impossible to tell if they were the same two as before, but that didn't matter. "Atris wants you all to leave immediately and never come back." One of the Echani said.

Soon after they left the planet with their ship, Bastila noticed something different onboard the Ebon Hawk. She searched around the rooms, and, when she went in the storage room, she saw one of the Echani sitting by the storage tanks. It was the Echani that looked different from the others. Without thinking, Bastila pulled out her lightsaber and was ready to defend herself.

"Atris sent me here to spy on you… on Revan… I mean you no harm." The Echani said simply without getting up.

Without having noticed him approach, Steve put his hand on Bastila's arm and lowered it gently.

"It's ok, don't scare her." Steve said soothingly. Moments later, Revan came in the room.

"She's here to spy on us… on you." Bastila said to Revan while placing her hilt back on her belt.

"Hmmm. We wouldn't want to offend Atris by getting rid of her handmaiden, now would we?" Revan said sarcastically.

"We already have a spy onboard, what's one more going to change?" She continued after considering it. Bastila felt unwanted by that comment but understood that it was probably true. She was a nuisance to them, just like the Echani was, but hadn't seen herself from that perspective before. She was a spy, and she felt like she was in their way. Concerned about Bastila's changed mood, Steve placed his hand on the side of her shoulder and said:

"She didn't mean it that way. You're welcome here with us, Bastila." He reassured her. She remembered that she had saved both of their lives and thought this might be their way of thanking her. She wondered what this Echani did that would make someone like Revan decide not to kill her. She was once again curious to know what was going through Revan's mind. What was her plan? After a moment, Steve said:

"If Bastila doesn't mind, you can use one of the beds in the port room." He said to the Ecahny woman.

"Thanks for the offer... but I'll stay here." The Echani said.

"As you wish." Steve said.

"Take whatever you need." Revan added. After that, everyone left the room.

As expected, Revan would have to try living somewhere else for a time. She had already planned the next location she wanted to try. It was a large glass cottage bordering a lake. It was a beautiful place on the planet Alderaan, far away from the vast cities. The people of Alderaan had much more respect for their environment and left many wild life reserves scattered around. This particular reserve had very few cottages in it. It was forbidden to build more than a certain amount of them. It would be a great spot to lay low, but it was certainly not as hidden as Atris' residence. On the way there, Bastila sent a transmission to the Jedi council to let them know what was happening. She was happy to report that, so far, Revan had not been involved in any military plots or any harmful and dangerous conspiracies to take over the galaxy. She had not seen her contact the Sith or anyone else of her previous occupation. This didn't reassure anyone much though. Bastila and the Jedi council still feared the worst. They expected Revan to do something wrong eventually, but they were pleased it wasn't going to be anytime soon. Bastila was hoping Revan would never do something wrong ever again, but she thought that was too much to hope for. She still didn't trust Revan or Steve, but, after having all these chats and learning so much of them, she thought she would feel awful if they did do something wrong. She would feel guilty that she couldn't predict it. She decided it would be best not to speak to them much. She thought it would be better for everyone that way, should there be something that goes wrong between them.

Steve felt saddened about Bastila's reaction, but he respected her wishes more than anything, so he left her alone. He still had Revan's unquestionable attention, and he sought all the comfort he could get from her. They both had this in common: they both felt unappreciated by the rest of the galaxy. They were all alone. Revan didn't need anyone but Steve to feel loved again. Steve, on the other hand, had too big of a heart to fill up. He felt strange that he couldn't even feel perfectly happy with his soul mate at his side. He almost felt selfish. In reality, he was everything but selfish, but it still made him feel bad. The Echani woman wasn't very talkative. She spent most of her time training herself with her advanced Echani fighting moves. Steve liked observing her as she trained. He had never seen a woman that had such skill in martial arts. Then again, he had never seen an Echani before Telos. There was much he had left to see of this galaxy. As he questioned the new passenger, he was told that all the Echani were experts at many types of fighting. He asked her why she looked different from her other sisters, but she would not answer. He also wanted to know her name, but she didn't want to tell him that either. All she would say was that she was the last of her sisters. She was more selfless and submissive than even the Jedi. In her case though, it did not mean the same thing. She lived to serve Atris, and, as such, she had very little respect for herself. Steve did not like that at all. He was saddened greatly by it. He thought:_ How can anyone like someone who doesn't respect herself? _It was not his place to give his opinion on the subject, so he kept quiet about it. He hoped that she would learn to respect herself just by being away from Atris long enough, and he would be there to make sure it happened. He had a big heart. He was not above accepting spies into his heart. Not even one that had trouble respecting herself. He left her alone when she wanted to be left alone.

They had reached their new home a day after they had left Atris'. This glass cottage was very nice. It looked like it was made to be a luxurious one. It was filled with empty space. It had two floors, but the first one was half berried underground. It was built that way to stay level on the slope that led to the lake. From the side of the lake, it looked like a two story building, and, from the other side, it looked like it only had one. Even if it only had one story, it would be plenty big. This cottage was very long in length. The main floor was almost completely empty. It had two giant rooms; one facing the lake, and the other facing the forest and the road that led to the cottage. On the east side of these two open spaces was a series of small rooms interconnected to each other. Among them were bedrooms and bathrooms. On the west side of this floor, there was a large stairway that led to the bottom floor and a porch that led outside. The sublevel was mainly a big kitchen and a garage, though it possessed a few other rooms for extra storage or anything else. Not only was the cottage large, but, also, the property itself was very big. Between the road and the cottage, there was a clearing of rocks; most of them were the size of human skulls, but, like anything else, they varied in shape and sizes. A forest surrounded the gravel road. To separate this forest from the cottage's property, there was a tall dune of rocks that was parallel to the cottage. It made the full length of the cottage until it reached the road, where it leveled down. This road was much closer to the east of the cottage, but, since the entrance was on the west side, the field of rocks also served as a road. This field could easily serve as a landing platform, but, upon purchase of the place, there was no mention of one, which is why Revan was forced to leave her ship at a hangar in the nearest town and purchase a small speeder. This transaction combined with the cost of the cottage will make it hard to purchase anything else, but, if she had to, Revan knew where to get more funds.

It took a full day to get settled in. The cottage was very clean and in good condition, but it was left mostly empty. There were many things that had to be done. Bastila helped but kept to herself most of the time, and so did the Echani. Revan and Steve were too busy to speak much, but, when they had time to talk, they made sure they spoke of all the important issues they faced.

The next morning, the Echani was up first. She was also in a different time zone. She had to sleep much sooner than the rest, and, as a result, she was the first to get up. She did her business and contacted her mistress, as she had done the day before. She gave her all the information she had requested. She had plenty of time before the others got up, so she went down to the kitchen to cook something. She was accustomed to cook for her mistress and sisters; this time would be no different. Soon, Revan and Steve, intrigued by the smell that made its way to their room, went down to feed themselves. Not long after, Bastila was there too. It was great to have someone around that knew how to cook. Afterwards, everyone went up to find the Echani woman to thank her for the meal. At the time, she was practicing her moves in the giant room on the forest side of the cottage. She was pleased that her work was appreciated. In the middle of their next conversation, Revan made her way to the windows and looked out with concern.

"What is it?" Bastila asked. Revan immediately turned around and said:

"Steve, Echani, head towards the forest. Get out of here. Quick!" She said without raising her voice.

Steve knew what was going on and picked up his shield on the way out. The Echani woman followed him without question. As they ran towards the forest, a speeder came from the road and crashed through the windows right where Revan and Bastila were standing before they leaped out of the way. Three Sith men jumped out of that speeder, moments after it crashed there. Among them was Darth Brandon: a Sith student that had the luxury of training with some of the most powerful Sith in the empire, including Malak himself… briefly. Steve and the Echani woman jumped over the dune of rocks and laid down to watch what was happening. Instants later, another speeder came from the streets and parked near the porch. Four of them came out from this one. Three of them went in the cottage through the main entrance while the other stayed with the speeder.

It didn't take long for the Sith man next to the speeder to notice Steve and the Echani. As the Sith walked towards the dune of rocks, Steve stood up and got his shield ready. He thought of running away with the Echani girl but remembered that it would be even more dangerous to get separated from the group. Knowing that there was no escaping, Steve marched towards the man. The Sith man expected him to run away, but, when he saw that he didn't, he smirked. When he was close enough, the Sith man ignited his lightsaber and started thrusting it against Steve's shield. It went very much like the other time: Hit after hit, his opponent would grow bored and angry. This one had a short temper and didn't take long before using his powerful legs to kick Steve's shield. When he found out Steve could withstand his kicks, he decided to try using both his legs at the same time. He jumped in the air into a cannonball shape towards Steve and opened up as fast as he could, forcing Steve down to the ground with all of his weight and leg strength. It worked very well. Once Steve was on the floor, the Sith man tried to kick and slash Steve only to be avoided by a series of rolls. When the Sith grew bored of fighting Steve, he started moving towards the Echani woman, who, by now, was standing at the top of the dune thinking whether or not she should do something to help. Steve was still on the floor. When he noticed that the Sith had changed his target, he got scared. He looked around him for a sharp rock. When he found one the size he needed, he took it with his hand, holding it as tightly as possible. Before the Sith man reached the woman, Steve stood up and charged at him with all his might. As soon as the Sith turned around to face him, it was too late: Steve was up in the air, covering his entire body with his shield, and moving towards him at an incredible speed. His shield hit the man's chest and kept his blade from moving for a split second. At that moment, Steve cracked the man's skull open with his rock and landed in a pile of blood that was not his own. This scene disgusted him greatly. Not only was his opponent's brains scattered around the rocks, but he also felt awful about killing people. It was not in him to do so. He did not want to take any life, not even that of his enemy, unless he had no other choice. In this case, he had to do it to protect the defenseless handmaiden. She was looking at him in relief. Steve dropped the bloody rock and walked to her. When he reached her, the woman saw the sad look on his face and comforted him. She gave him a hug and thanked him. As they hugged there, they heard the sound of another speeder enter the field of rocks, not far from them. Only one person came out; it was Atris.

Steve knew what was going on and got his shield ready. The Echani woman next to him was confused. She did not know what her mistress was doing there. To Steve, it was obvious: Atris had come to kill him; to take away what Revan loved the most, the same way Revan had taken countless Jedi away from Atris during the wars. It was revenge she wanted. She wanted Revan to feel the way she did. Steve didn't know what to do. There was no way he could survive an encounter with a Jedi master, but he had to try something because, if he just stood there, she would kill him for sure. Steve walked forward a little, to the bottom of the dune, and waited for Atris to meet him where he stood. Atris activated her lightsaber. The blade was of a silver color that Steve had never known existed. It looked good with Atris because, as an Echani, she was all white and wore white clothes. Atris struck his shield, but Steve held his ground and started to circle around her. They had traded places: Atris was now at the base of the dune, and Steve was closer to the speeder. His plan was to try and make a run to the speeder. Atris was no fool, the moment Steve turned around and began to run, she moved up the dune a little, leaped as high as she could and landed between Steve and the speeder. She was not amused. She charged at Steve and struck his shield again and again, but she was much quicker than his previous opponents, and she soon found a weakness. She got closer and closer to Steve and then slipped her lightsaber past the edge of his shield. With a flick of her wrist, she cut the top half of the shield, just above where Steve's arm was. The shield was broken and could no longer protect him. Atris placed her lightsaber back on her belt and summoned all the power she had to send Steve slamming against the dune of rocks. Steve tried to get up but found that he could not move at all: he was paralyzed there. He didn't even feel what was wrong with him, but he must have been injured somehow. Atris moved slowly towards him, happy to see that she had made him completely helpless. Now, she could do whatever she wanted. Steve could move his arms enough to unstrap the broken shield from his arm and place it beside him. When Atris was beside him, she kicked him on his side again and again. Her powerful kicks had moved him enough to dislodge the stone that had entered Steve's back. He felt the pain but was free to move again. As soon as he felt strong enough, he stood up and charged at Atris. He carried her down with him to the ground and held her down by the shoulders. Atris took the hilt that was still attached to her belt and pressed the tip of it against his abdomen, as close to the center of his body as she could, and ignited it. The beam pierced through Steve's body and exited his back. A loud scream of pain sounded. Steve was shaking, as the blade was burning his flesh around what had become a permanent hole, just a few inches to the side of his belly button. Atris was thinking whether or not to twist her blade and split Steve's body in two. As she looked at his shaking body and at the terror in his eyes, she thought of a better plan: Steve would survive this wound and make a great prisoner. This would make Revan hate her even more. She liked the idea. She closed her lightsaber but did not move. Steve let go of her shoulders and fell down against her chest. It was as though he was shivering, as whatever blood was still in his wound steamed away from him. The lightsaber had cauterized his blood vessels and burnt everything around the hole it had created. Steve's entire body was shaking, but he managed to lift his head up next to Atris' ear, and, as coherently as possible, he said:

"Revan will forgive you. And I forgive you." Steve turned his head and kissed Atris on the cheek and then lost consciousness, as the pain was too great to witness.

The handmaiden had not moved one inch from where she stood for the entire time. She was completely confused, and, after witnessing Steve's near lethal injury at the hands of who she once called her mistress, she cried. She could not believe what she saw. It was not something she thought Atris was capable of. A Jedi would never attack a helpless opponent like that, but it was worse: she did it with so much hatred. Steve had done nothing to her mistress. He did not deserve this. As Atris was pushing off the unconscious corpse from on top of her, the handmaiden yelled:

"Why have you done this to him? What has he ever done to deserve this?"

Atris stood up and approached her handmaiden.

"You like him don't you? What is it, you lust for him, you want to touch him, what?" Atris was furious.

"He's a friend… he's a good person…" The handmaiden was going to say more, until she got hit hard on the jaw by Atris' punch.

The woman stood up straight again in tears but did not try to defend herself. She was struck again, but, this time, she fell to the ground. Atris was about to kick her but suddenly stopped.

"Why do I waste my time with you. You are nothing." She said as she walked back to Steve. She lifted him up, placed him in the speeder and drove off.

Revan and Bastila got up from the shattered glass that covered the floor and switched on their lightsabers. They could hear more Sith approach them from behind. They were surrounded. Though Revan was strong enough to kill them all, this time, she had another preoccupation that took control of most of her mind. She had to keep Bastlila alive. Revan stood beside bastila and waited to see who would attack first. Darth Brandon was observing his minions as he stood by his speeder. The two that came with him attacked first. One of them moved against Bastila while the other went after Revan. Moments later, the Sith behind them split up to attack the two targets: Two of them against Revan and the other against Bastila. Bastila had more than she could handle: she was constantly distracted by the Sith striking from behind to properly attack the Sith in front of her. Every time she was in danger of receiving a hit that she couldn't defend herself against, Revan's blade would intervene to keep her safe. Revan was incredibly fast, but, with all she had to worry about, it was almost impossible to move to attack. It was all about defense. Bastila was astonished. She kept thinking it was the end of her, but, every time things would get hopeless, Revan was there to back her up. She was surprised that Revan would waste her time defending her when she could use her as a distraction and tip the tides of this battle. It took a while for Bastila to understand that Revan was not going to let her be harmed. At that moment, the battle became a lot more even. Bastila finally felt safe enough to concentrate on the opponent in front of her. As she had wished, Revan was defending her against the Sith behind her. This way, Bastila could gain the upper hand and drive her blade into her opponent's heart. With one less enemy to worry about, the battle was practically over. Revan moved Bastila beside the wall as the four Sith that were left surrounded them. They feared Revan too much to attack her, so they concentrated on Bastila. Revan foresaw this and in this position, she could cover Bastila from every angle of attack. It did not take long for her to cut through the nearest Sith to her. Soon after, she killed the next closest one. Bastila took out one herself, and, with the two of them attacking the last one, this Sith was cut to bits very quickly.

Brandon was observing the whole thing but did not intervene. He was sure that Bastila and Revan would never get through this alive. Having trained a little with Darth Malak, he had seen how powerful one could get but knew that even he, with this kind of disadvantage in numbers, would surely fall. He had underestimated Revan's power. He had also underestimated the bond that had developed between her and Bastila. There was no way to predict this outcome. Revan had fought more bravely than he ever thought possible. Now, he had to face her and the Jedi that followed her. There was no way he could survive this encounter, but he was no coward. He activated his double bladed lightsaber and began attacking both of his enemies. He was very fast, no doubt something he learned from Malak. Revan, however, was far ahead of him. She had much more speed and even more precision in her attacks. With only one side of Brandon's lightsaber attacking her, Bastila could hold her own. Soon after, she was able to see an opening and made a move that split Brandon's hilt through the center and took off much of his arm. At the same time, Revan severed his head from his body and watched as it fell to the ground. The two women were exhausted and had to catch their breath. After looking around, Revan noticed that one of the men was still alive. She moved towards him and drove her blade into his chest. Bastila was still in shock of all the danger she had been in to say anything.

Moments later, the two women saw the handmaiden running towards them in tears.

"Atris… She came here and took him. She took Steve. She was angry… very angry and she almost killed him!" She cried.

Revan walked out of the cottage and everyone followed. In the distance, she saw a part of Steve's broken shield and ran towards it. She looked at it for a moment and noticed a sharp rock a few feet away with blood on it. She covered her mouth with her hand and a tear fell from her right eye. Everyone was looking at what she was looking at and expected Revan to go crazy. They expected her to take a speeder and pursue Atris to the end of space, but she didn't. Revan just walked back towards the cottage. She stopped for a moment to look at herself and then decided to head for the lake. The two other women followed, but, when they realized Revan was going down to the lake, they stopped. They stood beside the cottage and watched. Revan stood on the beach and looked out in the horizon for a moment. Then, she took off her vest and walked in the water until it reached her bellybutton. She splashed some water onto the blood that stained her white tank top and scrubbed it. Normally, a lightsaber battle was not bloody. In this case, it was the shattered glass that flew onto her that had made her bleed. She was just glad that none of it hit her face. As she scrubbed, she became hopeless as the stains didn't leave. She was upset. She tore the tank top off of her and threw it far into the lake. She put her face in her hands and cried. When she realized she was being watched, she moved her hands from her face to her hair and stopped crying. The other two women looked at each other and decided it was best to leave Revan alone.

Revan got out of the water and put on the red vest that she had left on the beach. She went back up into the cottage and looked at the mess that was left. Bastila and the Echani woman approached behind her.

"What are we going to do now?" Bastila asked.

"Nothing." Revan whispered sadly.

"What! What about Steve?" Bastila was stunned.

"You don't understand. He knew this would happen to him. It was his choice." Revan said coolly.

"What do you mean?" Bastila asked confused.

"We knew what was going to happen to Atris: we knew she would fall to the dark side. Steve thought that the right thing to do was to give her a chance. Even though her chances at redemption are slim, Steve felt she deserved one. It was the right thing to do… now we have to continue what he started." Revan confessed.

"What do we do?" Bastila continued.

"We just wait. Wait until Atris understands." Revan answered.

"What does she need to understand?" Bastila was confused.

"She needs to know that I am not seeking vengeance for what she has done to Steve… and what she's about to do." After Revan said that, she went to her bedroom and closed the door.

"I know my sisters well, and, if they can, they will torture him." The Echani woman said to Bastila.

"How bad will it get?" Bastila asked with much concern.

"If they get bored of him before Revan comes after him… It could get really bad." The Echani woman was imagining what her sisters would be tempted to do to Steve and thought it would be best not to give out any details.

"No one deserves to be tortured, least of all Steve." Bastila said plainly.

"He's a good man; I can see why Revan likes him" The Echani said to Bastila.

"I don't think I've ever seen a man like him before. If what Revan said is true, I don't think any man could ever come close. I just wanted someone to blame, and I just couldn't realize it until now… I wish I had believed him. I just hope it's not too late." Bastila said, regretting how she treated this man in the past.

"I just hope my sisters don't tare him apart." The handmaiden said. When she saw the disturbed look on Bastila's face, she regretted having said it.

Steve woke up in a force cage. He was sitting at the bottom of it, leaning against the hard surface of it. In front of him, he saw Atris and the other Echani women looking at him.

"Do whatever you want to him. I don't care. Just keep him alive." Atris said to her first handmaiden. Atris left the room and never came back.

"Let's let him heal for today." The first Echani said. Everyone walked out of the room. Steve fell asleep. The next day, one of the Echani women brought him some water and food. Steve did not think of eating. His digestive system suffered greatly and feared that the food would kill him. The water was fine, though, as it was absorbed by his stomach fairly quickly. A few hours later, two of the Echani came in the room and took Steve out of the force cage. Steve could not walk well because his abdominal muscles were damaged, so the Echani women dragged him to the training room. The rest of the handmaidens were waiting for him there. He could see that someone had brought a rack filled with shock staves into the training room. When he was on the training mat, the two women who held him let him fall. The first handmaiden went into one of the rooms and came back with a small knife.

"You two hold him up." She said to her two sisters standing beside him. The two sisters held Steve's arms firmly and pulled him up almost to a standing position. The handmaiden holding the knife cut Steve's outfit right off his body until he was completely naked. The woman then observed his wound and touched it. Steve could not feel it, but she had intended to cause him pain. The first sister then traded her knife for a shock staff. She activated it until an electrical field surrounded its tip.

"Just keep holding him." She said to her sisters. She started pressing the side of the tip against Steve's tender flesh. The pain started as a mild shock entered his skin, but, after a moment, it turned into a burning sensation. After leaving the tip in that same spot long enough, Steve's bodily hair started singeing. When the handmaiden removed the staff she noticed that Steve had developed a second-degree burn in that region. His skin started to swell up into a bubble of white dead skin. The handmaiden was amused and did it again but in a different spot. When she was bored of it, she started hitting Steve with the staff instead of pressing it. She hit and pressed almost everywhere on the front of his body, leaving his head completely unharmed. The pain was great. Steve could feel his eyes swell up as tears fell down his cheeks. It wasn't as much the pain exerted by the staff that caused him to cry; it was seeing these women enjoy every minute of the torturing. Steve was sad that people like this existed. They didn't know if he deserved to be tortured or not; they simply didn't care. To Steve, that was torture enough. All he wanted was for people to like him, and this was his reward. The first handmaiden made sure she shocked the full surface of the front of Steve's body. She burnt him everywhere except on his wound, for fear that it could kill him. She kept herself from trying to shock inside the cylinder-shaped hole he had in his abdomen, but she made up for it by harming Steve sex more than the rest of his body. When she was done, she handed the shock stick to her nearest sister, who had been watching the show from beside the first handmaiden. She was the second handmaiden.

"You can do his backside." The first handmaiden said to the second. As she was instructed, she repeated much of the same on Steve's backside, making sure she doesn't hit the wound. When the deed was done, Steve was dulled by the pain. He was unable to respond to anything. The first handmaiden observed him for a moment and then said to the two sisters holding him:

"Clean the sweat from his body and cover him with the skin healing lotion. After that, you can throw him back in the cage."

They did what they were told and brought him in the shower room. They cleaned him up as best they could and brought him back to the holding room. They placed him on one of the surgical tables, and one of the two got the skin healing lotion from a canister.

"Here, you put this on him. I'll go clean up the training room." She said to her sister. As she applied the lotion, she started to feel bad. She didn't like men. Other than the last handmaidens, none of her sisters did, but she was different; the last handmaiden had a different mother, and that changed many things. As she looked at this man, she thought differently. He looked so harmless. He was not at all like the other men she had seen. As he laid there, he looked almost peaceful. She felt terrible, but she would do what she was told. When she had applied the lotion everywhere, she wrapped him in a robe and placed him back in his cell.

A day later, it was almost the same. The skin lotion was not nearly strong enough to clear off his burns. He was still covered in first and second degree burns. He was red and white everywhere. It pained him just to sit down in his cell. The sisters brought him in the training room and dropped him on the mat, as they did once before. The first handmaiden started shocking him again. This time, she couldn't hold it in the same place for too long because the burns would get too severe. She was afraid that creating third degree burns, added to the near fatal wound he already possessed, might cause his nervous system to shut down and kill him. As Atris said, she had to keep him alive. She worked the areas that were more neglected than the others, like his armpits and his forearms. She looked at the rest of his body and burnt off the areas that still had hairs. When all the hairs of his body were singed off, she was bored. She went into one of the other rooms and came back with the knife.

"What are you doing?" One of her sisters asked.

"I'm going to cut off his…" The first sister started before she was interrupted by the fourth of them.

"No, don't do it. He hasn't eaten yet. If you make him bleed, he could die very soon." She convinced her.

The first handmaiden sent him to the shower room. As before, it was the two last sisters that cleaned him up.

"Why isn't Revan coming back for him? I don't understand." The forth sister asked the third.

"Maybe she doesn't really like him." The third sister answered.

"No, Atris wouldn't have brought him here unless he meant something to Revan." The other replied.

"You're right. I don't know what's keeping Revan, but, if she doesn't come soon, there won't be much left of him." The third said. This time, they took off their clothes and showered with him. They liked the way his body was left completely hairless, but he didn't look good at all. As before, the fourth sister was left to take care of Steve. This time, Steve was looking at her while she was placing the lotion on him. He was thankful that she had stood up for him; he recognized it was this one. He wanted to thank her but was too afraid to say anything. He was just looking into her eyes, wondering why she hated him and why her sisters hated him even more. He didn't blame her though; he was not someone who placed the blame on anyone. He thought of a few reasons why someone could feel the way she did and thought it should be left out of future conversation, as it must have been a touchy subject. He had better leave these women's past buried until he was safe again.

Back on Alderaan, the day after Steve's abduction, Bastila entered the big room where the Echani was practicing her fighting moves. This time, she was using a short staff. It was very similar to lightsaber training, except the staff was much heavier and the weight was not all at the base. It made a good training weapon, though, because it required more strength than the lightsabers. Everything else was much the same. Bastila thought it might be a good idea to train with her, after all the lightsaber battles that happened in the last week. She wanted to be more ready for the next one.

"Do you have another one of those?" Bastila asked the handmaiden as she pointed at the staff.

"Yes. There are a few more in the bag." She answered.

"Could I train with you?" Bastila asked.

"I suppose so. I wouldn't mind having a sparring partner, for once." The handmaiden answered.

They started sparring for a moment. The two women were very skilled. They both trained for a large portion of their lives. Bastila had the upper hand because of her abilities, but she tried to keep the match as fair as possible. She was rather surprised to see how well the Echani could fight like a Jedi. Soon after she entered the room, Revan observed the match for a moment. After a moment of consideration, she approached the two fighters.

"I think I should help you out. I know the Jedi masters won't allow me to interfere in your training Bastila, but I could show you a few tricks… all you have to do is be mindful and try to repeat them for yourself." Revan proposed.

"I'm not sure if that's a good idea." She answered.

"Bastila, please. If you intend to help me save Steve, you'll have to be at your best: Atris will not be an easy foe. If you don't wish to save Steve, I'll leave you be, but, if you do… Just let me help you." Revan looked in Bastila's eyes for insurance.

"I want to help you save Steve… I really do…" Bastila started.

"Just a few tricks, that's all." Revan reassured her.

"All right, but, if you're trying to lure me to the dark side, I'll never forgive you." Bastila said.

"I have no intention of choosing your path, Bastila; I like you just the way you are." Revan reassured her. Bastila nodded. Revan took a staff from the bag and got into a stance.

"I want you both to attack me and give it your best." She said.

As Bastila and the handmaiden tried to strike at her, they found the staff of Revan in their way. Revan was using the force to increase her speed and strength. She was able to defend herself with ease, and, when she caught one of her opponents off guard, she would swing her staff and stop it just before it hits. She was showing off her speed. When it was enough to show her friends how fast one could be, she stopped.

"Using the force, you can improve all of your natural abilities: strength, sight… everything. The idea is to feed your muscles with energy directly from the force. You can also use the force to increase your concentration so you can see everything more clearly. When your eyes and brain are focused with power from the force, everything will seem slower. Combine this to the power of prediction the force can naturally give you, and you don't even need to be expert at fencing to be unbeatable." Revan explained.

"How do I do all of this?" Bastila asked.

"By knowing it's possible, you can discover many things on your own. Let's try something else." Revan said. She moved back ten feet away from Bastila and the handmaiden and said:

"Ok, this time, I want to show you how to surprise your opponents. You can do this in many different ways. The most important thing is to keep a few moves or tricks in reserve for when you absolutely need it. This is just one of many tricks you should know. Get ready!" She spoke loudly so that the others could hear her from that far away. When she saw that the two women were ready, she summoned the power of the force and leaped forward head first through the air, like a bullet, in between her two opponents. When she reached them, she spun her body quickly and slightly pushed her opponents away with her staff before landing.

"Wow!" The two women said, as they still felt the impulse that Revan had transferred to them when she pushed them away with her staff.

"That was incredible." Bastila added.

"Maybe, but it could be dangerous to do on a more powerful opponent. You should only do this when you are sure it would cause a surprise. Let's try it again." Revan said. She moved back to the same position and concentrated on her next move. She leaped in the air, this time spinning on a vertical axis instead of horizontally. Instead of letting her slip between them, Bastila stood in her path. As soon as Revan ran into her, she backed up to make sure she did not fall over and concentrated on defending herself from Revan's fast moving staff. Revan was able to catch the Echani off guard, but Bastila withstood her ground.

"Good, very good. You're learning." Revan was happy.

"Ok, I need to fight against Bastila alone to be able to teach her the next move. If you don't mind." Revan said to the Echani woman.

"Of course, I'd love to see how this turns out." The Echani responded with a smile. She would rather watch this than participate. It wasn't something she could ever do herself, so she didn't feel she had any business in this fight, unless she was needed. Revan moved closer to Bastila and readied herself. Bastila did the same. Revan begun attacking at a slow enough pace not to overwhelm her opponent so early in her training. She started fighting as normally as usual and then turned her back on Bastila, fighting her without seeing anything at all. It made it hard for Bastila to predict her moves but could imagine it was worse for Revan. Revan held her staff straight up in the air but kept it hidden at all times. Then she begun spinning around to face Bastila. When her staff was about to enter Bastila's vision, she swung her blade around in the opposite direction she was spinning in. To her surprise, Bastila was able to stop the attack.

"Excellent!" Revan said with excitement. Bastila felt proud.

"You can be creative and choose to distract your opponent however you wish and try to surprise them somehow." Revan put down her staff and continued:

"I can teach you more tomorrow, but, for now, I just want to talk." She started.

"From what you can imagine, Steve's fight against Malak was all about who could surprise who first. I have no doubt this was one of the fiercest duels within the past millennia. He didn't have much time to learn, but everything he learned was to prepare himself for that battle. We owe him the same. Atris is a Jedi master; she's very strong. I have no doubt she will try and take advantage of her powers against you. My plan isn't to kill her. I want to convince her that I am not angry with her. She needs to learn how to forgive. If we can make her forgive herself, we might be able to turn her away from the dark side. Though this isn't very likely, it has to be tried. This is what Steve wanted all along. I need you to be mindful, and I'll try and teach you everything I can tomorrow. If you have any questions, I'll be in my room." Revan said before she started walking back to her room.

"Wait! Revan…" Bastila caught up to her.

"Who is he really?" Bastila asked regarding Steve.

"He's just a little man with a big heart. Someone I thought I could live without for so long." Revan answered as honestly as she could.

"How long have you known him for?" Bastila continued.

"The first time I met him in person it was just a days before he went after Malak." She answered.

"How is that possible?" Bastila asked.

"Just another trick I learned in a most desperate moment. I'll tell you in more details another time." Revan answered. Bastila was very curious, as usual. She was always left wondering after speaking with Revan, but, this time, she started to believe her; this time, she thought Revan had been honest all along. It was becoming clearer to her during the battle against Darth Brandon's men, and now it was becoming more and more obvious: Revan could be trusted, after all. Moreover, she could be a friend.

The day had come for them to rescue Steve and perhaps Atris, if she wanted to be rescued. Bastila had trained with Revan and the handmaiden to prepare herself for this battle. Steve was in pain for the entire time. His wound was not treated and his skin was not given time to heal. Revan and her crew abandoned the glass cottage to make their way to the village's hanger where the Ebon Hawk was stored. Revan was going back and forth through the ship. No one knew what she was up to, but they were sure she was thinking up a stratagem; she was known to excel at that. They approached the polar region of Telos and landed where they had done the previous time. This time, they were not greeted even though they were expected. Revan forced the facility's door open and everyone went in, in a hurry. Not only was it cold outside, but, also, they were all very concerned about Steve's condition.

"Echani, you go after Steve. Bastila and I will go to Atris." Revan said. The handmaiden did not expect her sisters to simply let him go, but she had to try. When she arrived in the holding room, they were all waiting for her. The first handmaiden took and extra double-ended shock staff and tossed it gently at her newly arrived sister.

"We won't let you take him without a fight." The second of them said.

"Sisters please! Think about what you are doing! Revan and Bastila are on their way to stop Atris. Steve is of no more use to you, just let him go." The last of them said.

"You swore an oath to stay loyal to Atris, as did we all. Your betrayal to her is a betrayal to us, and you shall be punished." The first of them said.

"That oath did not consider the possibility that Atris would fall to the dark side! How can you still be loyal after what she made you do?" The last of them asked.

"Do you think we care what happens to him? No. We only care that it was his fault if you betrayed us. Now you will pay for your impudence, as he has." The first of them said.

"You would do this to your own sister?" The last of the handmaiden replied worriedly.

"You were always the last of us, and now you will be no more of a sister to us than a dead animal." The second sister replied. The first, second and third sisters all attacked simultaneously, while the fourth one chose not to participate. The battle had started well for the last of them, but, slowly, she was being overpowered and had very little endurance left. One of her sisters slashed at her stomach and cut the skin deeply. The last handmaiden fell to the ground and bled. The fist of them approached to hit her some more, but then the last of them drove the pointed tip of her staff into her sister's chest and pushed it through until it came out of her back. Her sister fell to the ground dead. She tried to take her staff back, but it was stuck in her sister's corpse. She was still on the floor bleeding and was left defenseless against her other sisters. The second and third of them surrounded the last of them and prepared to strike. A blaster shot hit her closest sister in the chest. Everyone looked at where the shot was fired from and saw a tall rust-colored droid. It was HK-47. The third of the handmaidens tried to move away for cover, but, when another shot was fired, it hit her in the side of the neck. The fourth sister threw her double-edged shocking staff as fast as she could into the chassis of the droid. Sparks and flashes were released from the contact areas between the staff and the droid's circuits. The electrical shock was strong enough to fry HK's primary circuits but not before he fired a random shot in the handmaiden's direction. The woman was hit and fell to the ground. Only the last of the Echani sisters was left conscious. She was badly bleeding from the rather large incision across her stomach. It was only a surface wound though; with immediate care, she could easily survive. The handmaiden dragged herself to Steve's force cage and reached the deactivation button on the wall. Steve was released. He tried his best to walk around the room until he could find a large towel and wrapped it around the woman. When he was finished, he kept some pressure on the wound to slow down her bleeding.

Revan and Bastila entered Atris' meditation chamber where she had been waiting for them.

"It's about time you came. What's the matter; you don't care what happens to your friends Revan?" Atris was mocking her.

"I know more about friendship than you do, Atris." Revan said coldly.

"Well you're here now, and that's all that matters." Atris said.

"I seek my revenge, and you seek yours; now we are even, and only a final duel can settle this." Atris continued.

"Mock my words: there was nothing of revenge that brought me here." Revan said honestly.

"Lies!" Atris yelled as she switched on her silver colored lightsaber. It was a very odd color for anyone to have. Though having seen it, it reminded Revan of the color Steve wanted to have: if he was able to choose, he would have preferred white to any other color. Atris attacked Revan and Bastila with much anger. Revan did nothing more than match her speed. After what she had quickly learned from Revan, Bastila could hold her own. Atris pushed herself harder and found that her opponents kept matching her. Atris backed up slightly, fearing that she couldn't take two at a time, and, as quickly as she could, she unleashed a series of electrical discharges onto Bastila Shan. The young Jedi was not expecting Atris to use dark side powers on her and flew back a few feet. She was unable to move for a moment.

"Why have you brought her in this? This battle is between you and me, not her." Atris was shouting while pointing at the woman on the floor.

"You brought her into this. Not me. By taking away our friend, you made her come here. All we want is to get him back, that's all." Revan confessed.

"Why would I let you take him? He's my only key to you, Revan." Atris answered before attacking her as fast as she could. Revan was still only matching her opponent's speed, only preoccupying herself with defense. Bastila soon came back in the battle. She saw Revan holding back and she did the same. They tired Atris down while defending themselves for a while. Atris felt she had already lost and only attacked sporadically.

"I forgive you Atris. I forgive you for getting Steve involved as I am sure he has already forgiven you." Revan said.

"I had him tortured, how can you possibly forgive that?" Atris asked angrily.

"I've changed Atris, surely you've noticed something different about me. You can change too. If you can only bring yourself to forgive, we can continue on as if nothing happened." Revan said.

"Nothing is that simple." Atris said before continuing to strike at her opponents.

"It is that simple! Just let it go!" Revan said in between brakes.

"You dragged the Jedi away from me! Why?" Atris shouted.

"They followed me; it was their choice all along. You can choose to put the past behind us, and you can continue training as many Jedi as you want! Don't throw it all away for vengeance!" Revan expressed concern.

"Nothing can undo what I have done. I forgive you, Revan." Atris said sadly. Bastila noticed the change in her stance: she was about to attack in a kamikaze fashion that Bastila immediately recognized. Bastila yelled:

"Atris don't!" It was too late. Atris forced her two opponents to strike at her. In self-defense, Bastila and Revan were forced to kill Atris. They pierced her with their blades and let her fall gently to the ground. She was dead.

Revan bent over the corpse, shut Atris' eyelids and stood still for a long moment.

"In the end, it was herself she couldn't forgive. If only she had been less hard on others, she could have given herself a chance as well." Revan said to Bastila, feeling responsible to explain why someone had to die here this day.

On the way back to the Ebon Hawk, Bastila and Revan picked up the two wounded people that were in the detention room. Steve mentioned to them that they should bring the skin lotion with them. They set him on one of the beds in the starboard bedroom and the handmaiden in port bedroom. Bastila was left in charge of treating the Echani's wound while Revan was applying the lotion on Steve. Once the lotion was on, she wrapped a towel around his midsection. Steve looked very weak and told Revan how he was unable to eat and how it was mostly that that made him so weak. Revan knew what to do. Bastila finished attending the handmaiden and made her way to the starboard bedroom to check on Steve. She stood in the doorway for a moment to observe him and Revan from a distance. Revan had just finished kissing him before she left to make a nutritious supplement to inject directly in Steve's blood stream. Bastila walked closer to Steve and wanted to assess the damage he had taken. She stood next to him and looked at all the burns on his body. He was mostly red with patches of white all over him. Bastila was greatly disturbed. She leaned over him to get a closer look at the hole that was near his bellybutton. It looked terrible. She could almost see the bed cloth underneath him through that wound. It was surrounded in dark black burns that made it hard to distinguish anything that she could see within the wound. She stopped leaning over him and kneeled beside him. Steve was looking into her eyes. Bastila looked very sad. She looked back at his face for a moment.

"Can I look?" She asked softly while pointing at the towel wrapped around his midsection. Steve hesitated for a moment and then nodded. Bastila unwrapped the towel slowly. When she was done unwrapping it, she looked completely horrified. All she could think of doing was whisper:

"Oh no!"

She was so shocked that she couldn't stop looking at the details that horrified her the most: Steve's testicles had swollen intensely. It was a miracle that they didn't bust out of the vivid red and hairless sack that contained them. His penis was also left deformed: just before his gland, a section of the core had swollen greatly. The skin that covered that section had the bubbly white look of a second-degree burn. The rest of his penis was vivid red; it almost looked as if it was all blood inside his flesh. All the hairs in his pubic region, and everywhere else, were replaced by burns. Bastila wrapped the towel back around him and held back the tears that were desperate to come out. She stood up and took a few steps back. Revan was on her way back with all the equipment she needed to inject Steve with the supplement. Before she could set it on the nearest empty bed, Steve let out a scream of pain. Revan dropped the equipment on the floor and ran beside him.

"What's wrong" She asked at the shaking man.

"I'm bleeding" He responded as calmly as he could. Revan lifted his side just enough to get a look underneath him. She saw the blood that stained the bed and leveled Steve back down on the bed. Then she leaned over him and took a very close look inside his wound.

"What is it?" Bastila asked in great concern.

"His blood vessels are starting to rebuild themselves around the wound… If they continue… he could bleed to death." Revan said. Bastila was terrified.

"Can't you stop it?" Bastila cried.

"I can't stop it from inside the wound; it would take some pretty fancy equipment that we just don't have." Revan begun.

"We need to get him to a medical bay immediately." Revan said.

Both the women ran to the cockpit and got the Ebon Hawk into orbit.

"We can bring him to the TSF station, they have a med. Bay." Bastila suggested.

"No we can't; they only accept registered patients. Steve doesn't even have identification." Revan explained.

"Well, the only place they would accept him is in Dustun" Bastila said.

"How far is that?" Revan asked.

With a quick look at the navigation monitors next to her, Bastila replied:

"13 light-years"

"We'll never make it on time! What about Dantooine… the Jedi enclave?" Revan asked.

"They won't help him!" Bastila confessed after considering it.

"They have to! Can you convince them?" Revan said before she burst in tears.

"It's going to cost you Revan… It's really going to cost you." Bastila said after remembering that the Jedi don't trust Revan with her powers.

"I don't care! I'll do anything to keep him alive! Anything! Please Bastila help him!" Revan cried. Bastila felt guilty. If she were in the council's place, she would never refuse to help save someone's life, but, in this case, the masters had their reasons not to intervene. That reason was unfounded fear, and perhaps even paranoia, because Steve, and even Revan, were not the untrustworthy and dangerous people they had believed them to be. Bastila remembered the warning Vrook gave Steve and Revan concerning their next meeting and was certain they would use this event to their advantage and make Revan turn over her power in exchange for Steve's life. Bastila knew that was wrong in every way: you can't simply bargain with someone's life. Steve's live was worth anything to Revan, and it started to mean a lot more to Bastila too. If only the Jedi understood…

Thinking about it wouldn't help anything. Bastila agreed to transmit a message to the Jedi while Revan piloted the ship. Bastila made her way to the main room of the ship and begun her transmission. After explaining the situation as best she could, the council considered it and accepted to heal Steve in exchange for Revan's agreement to being prosecuted in a trial. As Bastila explained, Revan would agree to anything. The Jedi accepted the deal and terminated the transmission. All she could think about was how well the Jedi healers could take care of Steve, if they could deliver him on time.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4. The Trial

The Ebon Hawk landed in the clearing of the Jedi enclave in a hurry. There were people there that were waiting for its arrival. There were four men, in pairs, carrying two stretchers. One group was meant to carry the Echany woman while the other was meant for Steve. Once the ship landed and the ramp was lowered, the two groups rushed in; one went to the starboard bedroom and the next went in the port bedroom. Revan and Bastila followed Steve's stretcher until they reached the emergency room. The Echany woman was sent to another room, given her much less threatening condition. The emergency room was a small but tall room. It was all relative, however; it only looked small because it was filled with equipment. Also, because it was a tall room, it added to the optical illusion. On the right side of the room, against the wall, there was a giant kolto tank. At the foot of the tank, there was an elevator platform meant to bring everything to the top of the tank for easy access. This way, they didn't have to move the injured people much. In the middle of the room, there was an operation table with rollers added to its feet for easy circulation. The rest of the room was filled with countless medical devices. The two men loaded Steve onto the table that was surrounded by two women; they were Jedi healers. Once Steve was secured on the table, one of the Jedi healers said:

"Everyone out. I'll be sure to come get you when we are finished here. You can wait outside." The two men were no longer needed and Revan and Bastila could only slow things down. It was too tight of a room to have witnesses around. Revan and Bastila left the room and waited just outside of it, peacefully. Revan leaned against the hallway wall in silence while Bastila just stood there, looking at the floor and at Revan at times.

Steve was unconscious, as he had been for a long time now. His loss of blood made him too weak to stay awake. The two women healers around him had begun working on him. The first thing they did was to insert a device into Steve's bleeding wound. Once it was correctly seated in the cylinder-shaped hole, it stretched outwards and blocked out the open blood vessels. His wound expanded to the size it was created in. It looked even worse than the two Jedi healers had thought it would look. The bleeding stopped quickly as the tool performed its job well. The next step was to get Steve ready for insertion into the kolto tank. One of the women, the younger of the two, started sliding on the customary white shorts that all patients wore when inserted into the kolto tank. The older of two removed the towel that was wrapped around Steve's midsection and said:

"Don't put that on him: it's too tight look… it'll hurt him." She said to the other Jedi healer while pointing at Steve's swollen genitals. She searched around the room and brought back a long white cloth.

"Here. Wrap this around him." She said to the younger healer as she handed the cloth to her. The healer wrapped it around him and held it together with a pin. The two women then pushed the table onto the loading platform and began their elevation. Once they reached the top of the kolto tank, they began setting the tank's equipment. They first inserted a breathing tube inside Steve's throat and sealed his mouth around it. The next thing they did was place a vital sign sensor on his chest; it was a small circular object that held in place with a pin that pierced into the flesh. They also inserted a wide needle into Steve's back. It was connected to a clone-blood dispenser. This blood was made with high concentrations of pre-built protein strains and adenosine triphosphate; everything the body needed to rebuild itself without the use of the digestive system. The older of the Jedi healers placed a pincher on Steve's nose and turned on the respiratory machine while the other woman helped lower him into the clear blue liquid of the tank. Once everything was secure, the two women lowered themselves down to the floor. The older of the two went to the opposite side of the room to begin her report while the other healer went to inform the two visitors outside that they were finished.

"You can go in now." The Jedi healer said before making her way down the hall into the medical personnel's office.

Revan and Bastila entered the room and circled the kolto tank to look at Steve's suspended body. After a moment of looking at him, Revan said:

"You know, all he really wants is to be your friend, Bastila." Revan said to her companion as sincerely as she could.

"You know I can't." Bastila said sadly.

"Bastila… you already formed an attachment to him… the damage is done. I would really like it if you considered being his friend. Give him a chance… Give yourself a chance. Don't answer yet, I just want you to consider it." Revan pleaded. Bastila understood that she had already formed a connection to Steve. Normally, she could control herself better than this, but her feelings for Steve were unexpected. There was something different about him. He was not so easy to ignore, and Bastila didn't expect it. Forming friendships like that was against the Jedi code. Bastila was not about to break this rule, but, as she was asked, she would consider it.

The older Jedi healer finally approached behind them to explain their progress.

"He should be ready in just over a week or so." She was about to continue, but then she saw that Steve had opened his eyes.

"He's stronger than he looks… it'll probably take less than a week for him to heal. I think most people in his condition would have died in his place. I don't think I've seen anyone regain consciousness so quickly after having lost so much blood. It looks like this one's a survivor; he has a strong will to live, I would say." The healer said before returning back to her report.

Revan and Bastila looked closely at Steve. He was looking all around him, unaware of how he got in a tank of liquid and how there were tubes sticking out of his body. At fist, he looked frightened of being stuck in such a confined area in such an exposed way, but he soon realized he was being watched over by the two women he trusted the most. He felt safe again. He was happy. Even with a tube stuck in his shut mouth, he could still managed to show a smile. Revan put her hand against the glass and smiled back. Steve then put his hand against the glass where hers was. He noticed that, not far from his extended hand, there was a keyboard with large keys attached to the glass. On the other side of it, between Revan and Bastila, there was a black screen that displayed what Steve could write. The first letter that showed up was 'I' . It was written in a large green capitalized font. It took Steve long to type in another letter because it was hard for him to distinguish the symbols from within a liquid like that. It took a while to get used to the underwater vision, but he slowly made progress on his message. The next word that followed was "LOVE". As expected, the next word was "YOU". Revan and Bastila smiled at the message, and, when they noticed that Steve was still trying to type, they kept looking at the screen. The final word of his message was "BOTH".

An instance later, there was a flash that came form the back of the room. The Jedi had taken a picture to include in her report for the archives, just as she had done with every other patient she inserted into the kolto tank. As she looked at the picture she had taken, she noticed it was nothing like the usual pictures she took. The look on the faces of those included in this picture was worth gold. The man in the kolto tank had managed a smile regardless of the discomfort around his mouth; he must have been happy, and he looked so peaceful… The woman nearest to him had her hand on the class where the man's hand was and possessed a most beautiful smile. On the other side of the tank, another woman was there, looking at the man. The awe that she expressed with her face was like the awe of a child that just discovered something incredibly beautiful for the first time in its life. That look alone was a treasure. In between the two women was a message displayed on the black screen. It said:

"I

LOVE  
YOU  
BOTH"

The Jedi healer could not believe the picture she took and had to look up to see it for herself to believe it. She stood up from her chair to get a better view of what had become one of the most beautiful moments she ever witnessed in the line of duty. This was the greatest picture she ever took.

After the moment passed, she approached the tank and told the two visitors:

"I should sedate him… His stay here won't be pleasant if he stays conscious the whole time." The woman said softly, trying not to spoil the moment. Revan and Bastila left the room slowly as the healer activated the automated sedative dispenser. The door closed automatically behind them. Bastila stood still for a moment and turned around to face Revan who was following closely behind.

"I would love to be his friend." Bastila confessed after careful consideration.

"Thank you so much!" Revan said as she reached over bastila to give her a hug. Bastila smiled and hugged her back. Things had finally set between these two girls; they had finally become friends.

The time had come for Revan and Bastila to be debriefed by the council.

"Is there anything you would like to say before we start?" Master Vandar asked Revan.

"Yes, I do. I thank you for saving my friend." Revan answered.

"You understand that you must face trial as a result of our agreement?" Master Vrook asked.

"Yes. However, since I am not a Jedi, my rights are somewhat different: I would like to exercise my right to a public trial." Revan said simply. Everyone looked at her oddly, even Bastila.

"What exactly do you have in mind?" Master Jarr asked.

"Because I am being judged for my actions from the perspective of the Jedi, I believe it would be appropriate for the vote allocation to extend to all the Jedi in the enclave. I find that that would be the most diplomatic thing to do, considering that I am not part of your order." Revan proposed boldly.

"If your wish is to make your trial open to the Jedi public, then we will respect your wishes. However, as leaders of the Jedi, our responsibilities are much greater; I believe our votes must have a stronger impact on the outcome than that of the ordinary Jedi." Vrook replied.

"I agree" Master Vandar said. The other masters nodded shortly after.

"Then we will hold our trial in the customary way of the Republic. We will be the prosecutors representing the Jedi's best interest. You may choose to have a representative to defend your case or you may represent yourself." Master Vandar said.

"If she agrees, I would like it if Bastila helps me in my defense." Revan proposed and looked over to her friend.

"I will aid Revan in her defense." Bastila said after a moment of reflection.

"It is settled then: the trial will begin in four days. You may gather all the evidence you believe you may need and ready your witnesses." Master Vrook said with the same unpleasant tone as before.

Upon exiting the room together, Bastila asked Revan:

"Why do you want your trial to be public?"

"I think it would be more favorable for us if we include the rest of the Jedi in this." Revan answered.

"Aren't the rest of us even more untrusting and fearful of you than the Jedi masters?" Bastila tried to understand what Revan was hoping for by allowing the rest of the Jedi to participate in the trial.

"The other Jedi have a much greater chance of imagining what I went through. Some of them were in a position to choose the way I did, like you. They are in a far better position to judge me now that I changed because they can relate to my situation more than the master. Hopefully, those that were never presented with a decision like that will be innocent enough to keep an open mind… which is more than we can expect from the masters." Revan explained.

"Maybe, but, just like the masters, most of them will be very hard to convince." Bastila gave her opinion.

"I never said it would be easy. I am just saying it would make more sense this way. You were never easy to convince about anything either, but, because you were curious, you gave me the attention that I needed. The other Jedi may share that same curiosity that you possessed and that the council does not." Revan clarified.

"Are you sure I am qualified enough to defend you in this trial? I mean, wouldn't you be better off representing yourself?" Bastila asked.

"You are more than capable of helping my case. Besides, I think it's necessary to have a friendly face defending me in this trial. It isn't all about finding the right arguments; it has a lot to do with impressions. Everyone respects your opinion Bastila; you will no doubt make a strong impression just by being with me." Revan answered.

"What do you think our chances are?" Bastila asked.

"I can't be sure… There are many things that can change the course of this trial. Mostly, I fear the outcome of this trial will still reside in the Jedi masters' decisions." Revan answered.

"I don't like the idea of this trial." Bastila said honestly. Revan looked at her curiously.

"Don't get me wrong, for long I have dreamed the day that Darth Revan was brought on trial for her actions… but not like this. This isn't the same at all. Not only do I believe that you are no longer Darth Revan, but it's also the way the Jedi masters forced this on you by using Steve's life as bait. None of it feels right because of that." Bastila clarified.

"I know what you mean. Steve would definitely be upset about that if he didn't care so much what the masters think of him… of us." Revan said.

"Why would he care what the Jedi think of him? He doesn't even know them much at all." Bastila asked her friend.

"He knows that the Jedi are the peacekeepers of the galaxy. Even though they don't always succeed at doing that very job, their very existence demands his respect. He respects them like one professional would respect another that shares the same job and possesses a similar passion for it. He cares what they think about him because he is a lot like you are: his approach to the problems we have is different that yours, but the outcome he seeks is the very same." Revan said.

"How much different can his methods be?" Bastila asked about her new friend.

"Well, you saw some of what his methods are all about: Do you know anyone else who would go into battle with only a shield to defend himself?" Revan attempted to explain Steve in ways Bastila could imagine.

"No, I can't say I do. Isn't that kind of extreme… to the point of being foolish?" Bastila asked. Revan laughed.

"You would have to have witnessed what I did to understand just how extreme it is. That's not the point though. It was actually better that way… safer, for everyone. He transfers his intentions onto everyone with his every move: his soothing voice, and the way he keeps his coolness in any situation, the way he never becomes angry or how he never disrespects anyone for any reason… even the way he fights conveys the message of his peaceful intentions… the main reason why he chose the shield in the first place. He makes it clear that he does not wish to harm anyone and that, alone, made him survive the previous battles that he encountered. If it was done any other way, if he was not true to himself when he does battle, he would not be alive today." Revan said. She was so proud of him.

"You mean Atris would have killed him?" Bastila asked.

"Oh yes! Do you even doubt that for a second?" Revan asked.

"I suppose you're right; I just haven't thought about it." Bastila said.

"If he even survived the encounters before that, Atris would have killed him as she had intended to. It was not his helplessness or his fighting abilities that saved him that day; it was his heroism, his courage, and most important of all, his intentions that had dissuaded Atris from finishing what she had started on his abdomen…" Revan said.

"He really knew it would happen to him didn't he?" Bastila asked.

"Oh yes. I told him something like that would happen." Revan repeated what she had told Bastila earlier.

"Did he know it would be his… heroism that would save him?" Bastila asked.

"No. There was just no way to predict anything in that detail. He was simply being himself and hoping for the best." Revan clarified.

"So he really is who he wants everyone to believe he is, isn't he? He was really being honest about everything wasn't he? I couldn't really believe him… I tried, but he just seemed so unrealistic. I really didn't think it was possible for anyone to be like that. I wish I had believed it sooner." Bastila confessed after Revan nodded to all of her questions.

"He is all of that and more. His soul is pure. That's why I chose him, you know, but, when I got to know him personally, it was more than just that. I fell in love." Revan said.

"You said something about that earlier, but you didn't finish." Bastila asked.

"For now, let's just say that, while you were watching over me that day, when you came after me, I was looking for something, and I found him. I did everything I could to make sure he was prepared for everything that happened since then, and here we are." Revan tried to be as brief as possible, fearing that details could reach the ears of someone they were not meant for.

"You felt you could trust him more than any of your followers?" Bastila asked.

"I chose him over almost everyone in the galaxy, not even my own followers could be trusted like he could. I can trust Steve with anything, we all can. He would do anything for you or for me of for peace." Revan said.

"Why does he like me so much?" Bastila asked.

"Oh that's no secret. You are a beautiful woman, a young Jedi, and you care so much for others. You have a strong compassion, like he does. Also, you saved my live and his own." Revan said.

"What about you, why do you like me?" Bastila asked.

"You are unique Bastila. You're one of the rare Jedi that isn't afraid of their emotions and you aren't ashamed of it either. You're a very good person, and, sometimes, you remind me of Steve." Revan said.

"What are we going to do about your trial?" Bastila asked after thinking it was time to go back to business.

"We should prepare our witnesses, let them know what to expect from the trial." Revan answered.

"Do you already have people in mind?" Bastila asked.

"Yes. There are few people here who got to know me after I was brought here; I think they will represent the majority of our witnesses." Revan answered.

"That must have been hard for you." Bastila consoled her friend as she looked a little saddened by that fact.

"It was, but I had something to look forward to; it helped me get through my loneliness." Revan said. The two women went to work preparing their witnesses while Steve was healing in the kolto tank and the handmaiden was recovering from her injury.

That night, Bastila couldn't calm herself enough to fall asleep. She decided it was time to ask the questions she always wanted to ask Revan. The moonlight lit her way to Revan's room. It was as good a night as any to shed some light on certain aspects of her client's life and newfound friend. Bastila entered Revan's room and realized that she forgot to knock. She looked around the main room, which was also the bedroom and found no one. Revan could soon be seen arched against the doorway that led into the next room.

"I'm sorry, I forgot to knock. I was distracted. I hope I didn't come at a bad time." Bastila apologized.

"Nonsense. Please, sit." Revan said to her friend while pointing at the bed.

"What's on your mind?" Revan continued while sitting next to the younger woman.

"I was thinking about the case… there is something I need to know before the trial… I mean, I need to be prepared for when you are interrogated about… about your past." Bastila was hesitant, trying to mask her real question.

"I doubt the masters will interrogate me on that subject… It's clear to them that I was guilty for that… What they want now is to focus on the present and my future. I am sure they have no intention of bringing my past up during the trial. I'm sure they would rather leave everyone in doubt rather than face the truth." Revan said plainly.

"What? No… how typical… You keep judging the masters! How do you expect them to trust you!" Bastila said defensively as she stood up from the bed. Revan held her arm and said:

"Please wait! I'm sorry: I didn't mean it that way. I didn't mean to upset you. I'm sorry! Please sit. I only meant that they weren't interested in my past at this time… I meant no offence by it. It didn't sound right, and I apologize." Revan said. When Bastila calmed herself down and sat back down next to her friend, Revan continued:

"What do you want to know?"

"I want to know why you betrayed us." Bastila said after staring at her feet for a moment, unable to look into her friend's eyes. Revan thought for a moment and then held Bastila's hand.

"Sure Bastila, I'll tell you anything you want to know. But I can only give you my point of view, so try to understand it as best you can." Revan said and smiled when Bastila finally built up enough courage to look into her eyes.

"When the Mandalorian wars began, I was about your age, perhaps even younger. As you probably know, I was very gifted and wise. Because of that, the council had given me many assignments at a young age… much younger than most. So, at that time, I already had a lot of experience in battle. When I first heard of the Mandalorian threat, I was getting ready to be sent there. That time never came… The council never sent anyone. They feared something. I wasn't going to just sit there waiting while entire worlds were being conquered. But I was no fool; if the Jedi master's felt we shouldn't intervene, there was a reason for it. Back then, I had learned to read between the lines so very well. When the Jedi masters withheld information from me, when they prevented me from learning farther, I simply found other ways to get what I wanted. That's how I had gained so much skill and knowledge. I had to be able to read the masters' minds without actually taping into them. They would always give me hints when they didn't want to give me answers. That time was no different. I knew what they feared. I thought about it a lot, meditated on it, and found out exactly what they feared for myself. As I expected, it was the dark side they feared. They believed the Jedi were too vulnerable to it; they believed this particular war would corrupt their Jedi Knights. They were right, of course. However, I could also see that the war would be lost without our intervention. Those that followed me into this war had to sacrifice themselves in this war… It was our fate to succumb to the dark side. Knowing that fate, I felt it was necessary to learn as much about the dark side of the force to better prepare me for it. I learned all I could about it from the masters. When I felt ready, I went to war and brought all the help I could get. I fought like a real Jedi, Bastila. I did everything I was taught to do. Like the masters, I felt it was wise not to let our followers know of our fate… I only gave hints like the masters did… just to get the idea out in a whisper… Except for Malak. He was a close friend. I couldn't keep it hidden from him for long. When we could, Malak and I learned about the dark side from those that knew the most about it. We learned many things. We did what we could to insure a smooth transition to the dark side: I did my best not to fall to its will. I had learned enough to keep myself from being under its complete control. By the time the war ended, we had nowhere to go. Those that could return, those that were spared by the dark calling, were able to go home… but we could not. Malak and I had gathered those that were in our situation and disappeared. When we had learned enough about the dark side, I declared myself the Dark Lord of the Sith… if only to keep another from doing so. For as long as I remained under a certain amount of control of myself, I was clearly more capable of limiting our corruption. If it had been someone else who had assumed that role… things would have been much worse… just look at how far Malak had gone…" Revan closed her eyes and held her face in her hands for a moment. Bastila placed a hand of Revan's back and was about to comfort her friend, but, just before she said anything, Revan continued:

"I created the Sith empire… just like anyone else would have done. I learned the secrets of the Sith and kept them to myself… it was not done as much to further my power over others but for the protection of others. I guess it didn't seem that way from anyone else's perspective… Still… I had to appear to be the strong leader I was. That was when I discovered the Starforge… I was looking at sources of dark side power and found the first Starmap in the ruins of Dantooine… Not far from the enclave. It was the will of the force to bring me to the Starforge. I'm still not certain if it was the dark side's calling or if it was what I was accustomed to hearing… I'm not sure why I can't tell, but, nonetheless, it was its will." Revan sighed.

"I guess, in the end, it was either because I had to destroy it or because I had to use it… or both… I did both." Revan looked away from Bastila's face and took a deep breath.

"There are many reasons why we chose to turn against the republic. Mostly, because it was a power that needed to be opposed… they are after all… responsible for the Mandalor… never mind. I… I can't… No excuse is good enough for that, I know… but I want you to know that it wasn't my plan to destroy the republic… or even to fight against the Jedi. I suppose the Jedi thought the risk of defending the republic against us was… acceptable this time. I'm sorry Bastila I really am. It seemed to be a good idea at the time. I didn't mean for it to go as far as it did… I didn't mean for Malak to have fallen so far either! I thought he was stronger than that; I thought I was stronger that that! I didn't want it to happen… I… It wasn't necessary… What Malak did… I… It was my fault! I'm so sorry Bastila! If only I paid more attention to what I was doing! Maybe I could have taught Malak to control himself… Oh Bastila! I'm so sorry!" Revan had tears crawling down her cheeks. As Revan sobbed, Bastila put her arm around the woman's shoulder and squeezed her against herself.

"Steve would never have allowed me to do something like that, he hates war, and I hate war! I love him so much Bastila. I know that… for as long as I'm with him, I'll never do something like that again. You have to believe me Bastila! The council doesn't have to strip away my powers… I promise I'll stay out of the way! I'll go hide in my little corner of the galaxy with Steve and never show myself again if I have to! I'm just so happy he's going to be ok, and, if the council want to confiscate my powers as ransom, then so be it."

Revan was calmer now… much calmer. Bastila held her tight for a while.

"It may not come to that." Bastila said simply.

"I don't understand… how come you don't want to be a Jedi anymore? You're welcome here with us. I mean… if you wanted to be a Jedi again, they would never strip away your powers." Bastila said softly.

"I respect the Jedi, Bastila, but I truly don't belong here. If I wanted to continue being a Jedi, I never would have disappeared after the Mandalorian wars. I've learned too much… I've made some realizations. As much as I see the good in your cause, I just can't ignore the faults in the Jedi code." Revan responded.

"What's wrong with our code Revan?" Bastila said trying not to be too defensive.

"I suppose most of it is good, but I simply can't ignore how wrong it deals with emotions." Revan said.

"You know only too well why we have that code!" Bastila said, protecting the Jedi way.

"I know first hand how dangerous emotions could be Bastila. The problem is, instead of controlling their emotions, the Jedi try to completely shut them out. Until they learn from their mistakes, I simply won't belong here." Revan answered.

"We don't shut out ALL our emotions… we still fell things… like compassion and such. But we have to stay away from the stronger emotions." Bastila clarified the way of the Jedi.

"Without those strong emotions, Bastila, the Jedi would never exist... they would never have been created. I can't imagine how much the first of the Jedi were far better off than you are now… I suspect, at first, they were in far more control over their emotion. I guess it must have gotten worse over the ages as the Jedi forgot something very important." Revan said.

"What did they forget?" Bastila asked.

"Well, it's just my opinion, but I think they must have forgotten, Bastila, that Humans, Twi'leks, Rodians, Cathars, Hutts… are all animals. We are made to have these emotions Bastila. The Jedi have forgotten that the consciousness only takes up ten percent of our brains… And the nest of our emotion will always flourish deep in our minds; it simply cannot be shut out… not without causing problems. Like many of the other intelligent beings, humans tend to overestimate their will power. They think they have power over their basic animal instincts and emotions. They don't seem to realize that, no matter how well they ignore them, there emotions will always manifest themselves through their actions, even if you don't realize it. Our dreams remind us of this all the time; trying to fulfill the many needs that were not realized. And it changes people… Our personality is greatly affected by it: master Vrook expresses his emotions through his harshness and his facial expressions… his doubts, his fears, his tough-love… we can see them easily through his tone of voice. Master Jarr has a much more stable personality, he expresses his compassion through his calmness, and, for those of us who know him well, we see how his shift of emotions can suddenly end his calmness and turn into something better or worse. Master Vandar, however, shows very little signs of his emotions. Perhaps it's because he isn't made the same way we are… he is more alien than the rest… Or maybe it's just his old age that gave him the opportunity to learn how to mask it better than the rest of them. And you, Bastila, you care so much for others and it shows every time. With every outburst, you show us you're ready to defend others or yourself even. You're so alive with emotion, but you're still young. In the future, you no doubt would become more like one of the masters… or you could cope with your feelings in your own way." Revan said and then looked carefully into Bastila's eyes observing how well she was absorbing all of what she said. When Bastila looked like she was ready for more, Revan continued:

"There are more reasons why I don't belong here, but this reason is enough for me to refuse to stay. Those that are emotionally balanced have the potential to achieve great things, to find peace within themselves, and, in turn, transfer some peace around them. It makes everything seem more pleasant… in harmony. The Jedi will never achieve this until they are willing to understand their emotions instead of shutting them out… and the Sith, Bastila, the Sith are just a group of failed Jedi who don't nearly have enough experience with emotions to understand them, and the way they use them insures that they lose themselves to them. I'm not saying it's easy to achieve such a balance, or even control of your emotions. Hell! Most normal people, even with ages of experience, can't control their emotions. For a Jedi, it would be much harder to achieve such a thing due to their lack of experience. Nonetheless, it's something I wish to learn… It's unlikely that I will be able to do this, but, knowing that an inner peace like that can be reached… it's really reassuring. Besides, whenever I'm around Steve, I feel I don't need to achieve it." Revan took another pause before concluding her opinion. Bastila was still listening very attentively, so Revan continued:

"That young man floating in the kolto tank is an animal. But he knows this and it changes things. He understands his needs and limitations very well. He is one of those lucky ones. He found his inner piece; something unbelievable that insures that, no matter the circumstances, he can trust his emotions to lead him in the right direction. He is a very emotional being, driven by compassion and fueled by love. No matter how badly you torture him, he will never get angry or burst into uncontrollable fear because it will never be enough to surpass his compassion. He's forgotten how to hate. Sometimes, I believe he was always incapable of hate. Because of this, he has never done anything that could be considered even close to evil… ever. We talked about this before, he and I, when we had a chance. We talked about emotions and all, and, when I expressed my awe about his inner peace, you know what he told me? He said: '_I've never dreamed about killing someone._'" Revan was getting excited and was anxiously waiting for Bastila to reply.

"That's not possible; everyone dreams of… of that!" Bastila was quick to respond. Revan was happy to hear what Bastila said; it made her smile. She nodded and said:

"I said almost the same thing, and you know what he said? He said: _'Well… sure, but when I do dream of killing people, they are dreams of action and adventure. The people that die in them don't have faces or personalities. What I mean is, I've never dreamed of killing anyone I know: I can never associate a person's face or personality to any of them because, in my dreams, they are mere obstacles. They never represent actual people. Not even my greatest enemies… never.' _" Revan observed Bastila.

"That's crazy!" Bastila was a little confused and was lost in her thoughts for a moment.

"Not crazy… just special… really special. My point is, when you find that your goals and your dreams are in harmony, you find yourself incapable of doing anything you don't truly want to do. Do you understand?" Revan clarified.

"I don't know… I mean, I've never really though about things like this before. It all sounds very strange… I suppose you know him well enough to believe him…" Bastila was very confused. She had many things to think about, and she was glad to have a friend with whom to talk with. Knowing how stubborn she was, she thought it would have been a much more difficult conversation, but Revan seemed to know how to deal with her. It was rather comforting. It was rare that Bastila didn't spoil moments like these because of her volatile nature. She suddenly appreciated Revan's friendship far more than she expected. She remembered how well things went when she was around Revan and Steve. Now she understood what friendship meant. It was far greater than earning respect. It made her remember what she felt when she stared the message on the monitor attached to the kolto tank. She understood that such a friendship was a derivative of compassion and love. It didn't seem wrong for a Jedi to have friends like that anymore. She had doubts of her choice when she accepted Revan and Steve's friendship; she was going to mention it to Revan, but now she didn't need to. She made the right choice.

"He's so young. Don't you find it… I don't know… annoying, sometimes?" Bastila changed the subject. She wasn't interested in political matters anymore. She wanted to talk as friends with Revan. Her friend suddenly laughed in surprise at the sudden change of subject. Revan had a giant smile on her face.

"Well… sometimes. He doesn't have the experience we have, but he's a smart man. I hardly notice his innocence when I speak to him. I don't find it very different with him than with an older man: I've always been a leader, so I suppose I'm used to being around men who are… less wise than I am… Steve may not be a leader like me, but he is very wise. I feel comfortable with him. You may notice his innocence, but it's more because of where he came from than his age… You have to realize that, not very long ago, he didn't even know Jedi existed; he didn't even know other human cultures existed outside his planetary system. Most people would be lost in his situation, but not Steve… He's very open-minded. It didn't take him long at all to adapt to this new reality. He's really amazing. When you get to know him better, you'll probably feel the same way about him. Besides, he must be only five years younger than you are. That kind of difference is hardly noticeable… or, at least, it will be in the future. Our age difference is much harder to ignore, but it doesn't bother us; it doesn't seem to bother him in the least." Revan said.

Four days had passed, and it was time for the trial to begin. It was held just outside the enclave where there was enough room for the all the Jedi who wanted to, or could, participate. Against the enclave itself, there were stands for the Jedi council members and for the witnesses. In front of that, there was a bench for the defendants, and, just past that, there was room for everyone else. Most people would have to stand up though. The first part of the trial was an introduction to the situation. Actually, it was more of a hearing in preparation for sentencing rather than a trial. This was not about proving Revan's innocence for her crimes at all: it was already decided that she was guilty. The difference is that, if Revan had in fact changed, she had to convince the Jedi she has nothing but good intentions for the future. If not, she would be striped of her powers, or worse. A lot of people didn't show up for the introduction. In fact, there were few people there, it was troubling at first, but more came eventually. The council members shared their point of view about the events that transpired before and after Revan's capture while Revan gave further details and shared her own point of view. When everyone was properly briefed on the situation, the crowd had doubled. When it was time for the actual argumentation process to begin, the witnesses began to be called. The first witness was Bastila Shan. Since she had a first hand view of many of these events, she was a perfect witness. It was made clear to everyone that Bastila was not only the person responsible for Revan's capture, but, also, she recently had the mission of gathering intelligence for the Jedi council concerning Revan's plans and attitudes. Revan was mostly the one questioning this witness. The council members were more interested in listening to Revan's arguments and interrupting her when they had things to add. Their goals had already been made clear; it was up to Bastila and Revan herself to defend their case.

"Why did you save my life that day of my capture?" Revan asked for everyone to hear.

"I was in a position to keep you alive, and it was my duty to make it happen." Bastila answered.

"What was your purpose in doing so? What was going through your mind at the time?" Revan asked.

"I was interested in finding out what difference our victory would make on the outcome of the war. I was thinking about whether or not you would give us any information." Bastila said as professionally as she could.

"What did you think the Jedi's chances were on extracting anything valuable from me?" Revan continued.

"I believed our chances were very slim." Bastila said honestly, regardless of the attention she was receiving from the council members.

"Did you believe I could still be dangerous as a captive?" Revan asked.

"If you still had your powers after your recovery, yes." Bastila said.

"You decided to save me regardless of the little hope that I would bring more good than harm." Revan stated, in her words, what Bastila was doing.

"Yes, I did." Bastila confirmed the accuracy of Revan's statement.

"Would it have been considered an acceptable loss if you were to let me die there?" Revan continued in the general direction of her argument.

"Yes. It would have been acceptable if you did not survive." Bastila answered.

"Whether it was better if I survived or not was a decision that was left to your discretion was it not?" Revan asked.

"It was ultimately my decision, yes." Bastila confirmed.

"What was that main feeling that made you choose; what was that part of your personality that made your choice seem obvious?" Revan asked.

"Compassion." Bastila answered after a moment of reflection.

"Jedi masters, isn't that an exemplary quality for any Jedi or anyone in general to have?" Revan asked the masters next to Bastila.

"It is a very good trait for a Jedi to have." Master Jarr said.

"Where is your line of questioning taking us? I hope you will make your argument soon enough." Master Vrook added.

"I'm getting to it, master Jedi." Revan said.

"You believed I deserved to be saved because you respected me and because you believed that I deserved a chance at redemption. In your opinion, were your best hopes realized?" Revan asked.

"Things turned out far greater than I had hoped." Bastila said frankly.

"After I was captured, you were surprised because I was cooperating. You were also surprised that I was able to find comfort where there was none. You were surprised that I was not hopeless or discontent while being held captive. Why was I that way?" Revan asked.

"You were waiting to be united with Steve." Bastila answered.

"From that time until now, was I the only one responsible for all the events that transpired?" Revan asked.

"No. Steve was also responsible." Bastila answered.

"Your goal here, Revan, isn't to place blame on anyone else." Master Vrook spat.

"I understand master, this isn't about blame. I am simply trying to say that I no longer have the responsibilities that I had before. I now share my responsibilities with someone I trust. This is one of the many things I have changed about myself. It is important to include him in our discussion because, without him, I would not be here." Revan explained.

"What do you think about Steve, and how would you describe his intentions?" Revan asked her friend.

"He is the most incredible person I have ever known. He is very compassionate, and his intentions are most honorable." Bastila was brief but to the point.

"Did we both earn your trust in our time together?" Revan asked.

"Yes, you both earned my trust." Bastila replied.

"You were not able to convince the council to trust us, however. Why is that?" Revan asked.

"I suppose it is because I was not able to transmit the details that made it obvious to me that you are trustworthy." Bastila responded. This time, it was Vandar that interupted Revan:

"Clearly you have Bastila's opinion in your favor. However, that hardly stands as an argument alone."

"Oh but it does! You may not have reason enough to trust me, but Bastila has never lost your trust. If you trust her judgment, it makes a great argument. If you want me to move on to other witnesses, I won't object." Revan said.

"You may proceed with another witness." Vrook said still holding a grim look on his face. Revan called her old friend Vin to the stand. The tall Jedi made his way to the stand looking somewhat nervous. When he looked calm enough, Revan began:

"The first time you came to speak to me, when I was captive, you were glad I was still alive, but you didn't know what to expect of me… you feared that I was still an enemy. The next time we spoke, did you feel the same way?" Revan asked coolly.

"No. I didn't. I was convinced you were not an enemy anymore." He said.

"What about when I came back with Steve, how did you feel then?" Revan continued.

"I was confused. You were well on your way of making a good life here with us. I couldn't bring myself to believe you would throw it all away. When I saw him, I saw your past, I saw the terror you once became. I was frightened. I didn't want you to repeat the same mistake." Vin said.

"You almost attacked him because you feared what you didn't understand. What made you stop?" Revan said.

"It was the tone of your voice… and the look on your face. If it wasn't for your calmness, I don't know if I would have been able to control myself." Vin said.

"Who was I trying to protect when I calmed you down?" Revan asked.

"I guess you were… you were protecting me from myself." Vin felt a bit of shame. He had to admit his failure in front of all the Jedi. The only thing that made him feel better was to be able to help Revan in this trial. She was a hero to him, after all, regardless of her passage to the dark side.

"Steve had done nothing to anyone. You had no right to fear him, if not for your discrimination of appearances. Your fear of the dark side could have caused you to lose your live, but I was there to protect you not only from your fear but from the dark side itself. Was that the action an enemy of the Jedi would take?" Revan said.

"No. I'm sorry masters. I should have told you about this event earlier… I'm truly sorry. I didn't know what to think, and I lost control of myself." Vin said after looking at the unpleased look of all the Jedi masters. It was obvious they did not expect this.

"We will deal with you during recess." Master Vrook said to Vin before shifting his attention back to Revan.

"You may present another witness." Vrook said. Revan called forth the Handmaiden and let Bastila take over. Bastila approached the bench and tried her best to keep the line of questioning in the same direction.

"You are you well aware of Revan's crimes against the republic?" Bastila asked the Echani woman who was still recovering from her wound.

"I am." The Echani responded.

"When you first encountered Revan, she was looking for shelter, looking for a home, but your mistress refused. Then Atris sent you to follow us… to spy on Revan, despite the obvious danger of it. What did Revan and Steve do when they discovered you on their ship?" Bastila begun.

"They made room for me… offered me hospitality." The woman answered.

"Later, we discovered that your mistress intended to upset Revan, to upset her in the worst possible way… Do you think she may have sent you on their ship to irritate her, to begin her terrible plans?" Bastila said trying to hold back her sadness about this disturbing subject.

"That is a possibility." The white woman responded.

"If that was the case, do you think it worked?" Bastila said casually.

"No. In fact, they seemed rather comfortable around me. Especially Steve. He was being very friendly… But I had my duties; I tried not to be in their way as much as I could." She answered.

"When you became aware of your mistress' sinister plans, how did you expect Revan to react?" Bastila asked.

"I expected her to take the bait; she was clearly in love with Steve. I expected her to try to protect him the same way anyone else would have done in her place… like any lover would have done." She responded.

"What _did_ she do?" Bastila continued.

"She waited." She said.

"Why?" Bastila asked.

"She waited until Atris understood her plans had failed, that she would not have her revenge against Revan." She answered.

"Was she aware of the danger it placed Steve in?" Bastila asked.

"Yes." She said.

"Why did Revan care what Atris believed? What purpose did it serve to convince Atris of her failure?" Bastila asked.

"She wanted Atris to forgive her. She helped Atris by showing her it was possible to forgive even the most evil crimes." The woman said. Bastila looked directly at the masters and said:

"If Atris was alive today, she would have confessed that Revan's actions… Revan's and Steve's actions actually succeeded. Atris was able to forgive Revan, but it was herself she couldn't forgive. Revan understands the dark side better than anyone. She was able to sense what Atris wanted, and it was because of that that she was able to prevent Atris from being completely consumed by the dark side. I was there. I can't imagine there was anything else that could have been done for Atris. I believe this was, in great part, Steve's doing. They were aware all along of Atris's corruption and tried their very best to undo it. They knew what Atris had planned for them, and that's why Revan didn't peruse her when she abducted Steve. She knew it had to be done that way."

"Is this true?" Jarr asked in disbelief. He had heard Bastila's debriefing but didn't know how important these details were. They were not emphasized in the debriefing, but now it seemed to place the event in a new light.

"It's true. In fact, Atris had not originally planed to abduct Steve, she was there to kill him. Steve was able to dissuade her from that goal and was spared. If it weren't for him, Atris would never have had a chance at redemption." Revan added. There was a long pause, and whispers spread around the clearing like the wind: Even the masters began whispering. When they were done whispering, master Jarr said:

"If you have no other witnesses at this time, we shall have a long recess. In the mean time, we will revive the final witness. We understand Steve is still in a fragile state, but his presence here has become necessary. When he is ready, we shall continue the trial."

The crowd broke off for recess. Few of the people stayed in the clearing to discuss it farter. The masters went back in the council chambers to speak with Vin. No doubt, they had some sort of punishment for him. It wasn't uncommon for the Jedi to withhold bad information from the masters… just as the masters withheld things from all the Jedi. What Vin did, however, was a humiliation for all the Jedi, and that does not go unpunished. This was going to be a long recess: It would take a while for the sedatives in Steve's system to wear off after they take him out of the tank. Even once that is done, he is still in no condition to run around the enclave. Bastila and Revan made their way to the medical bay to welcome Steve back among them.

Upon entering the room, the Revan and Bastila noticed they were alone with Steve. The Jedi healers were not there. Revan took a closer look at the displays from the monitoring station. Everything seemed normal. Bastila was just about to leave the room the get the healers, but, just as she reached the door, she saw the two same women as before walking down the hall towards her. She supposed they were on the way back from the trial. It was good to see they had made time for it; these women worked hard in the past few days.

"Hello. We are just about to get started on your friend here. It won't take long. If you wish, you can stay and watch." The younger of the two healers said and grinned. The older woman smiled at her apprentice and moved to the elevating platform. Bastila and Revan stepped away from the tank and stood far enough not to be in the way. When the two healers reached the top of the tank, they pulled Steve out of the liquid and washed off the remaining fluid that was dripping off his silky skin. After the tubes were taken out of him, they turned off the system of pumps that provided Steve with air and recycled blood. They patched up the holes that were left by the needles that rested in his veins. They lowered themselves down to the floor and moved Steve onto the operation table. They took out the cylinder they had left in his wound to stop the bleeding. They inspected the interior of the wound thoroughly for a while.

"He's healed very, very well. I don't think he'll need to be placed in the tank anymore, but he will need to rest a lot. He hasn't moved at all in the past three days, so, when he wakes up, don't let him get too excited." The older Jedi healer said to the two visitors. The younger one opened a miniature freezer and took out strips of clone skin-graphings and a bottle of clear-blue fluid. The older woman took out a scalpel, a heat gun and a syringe from underneath the table. It was strange to see how tightly packed and out of the way the tools were. It must have been hard to organize everything that way. The women flipped Steve over on his back and shaped one of the skin-graphings on his wound. They cut the strip of flesh into a circular patch just a few centimeters larger in diameter than the wound. When it was properly shaped, the older woman applied the bonding grease that was in the syringe around the opening of the wound and seated the skin-graphing on it. With hot air circulating from the heat-gun, the bonding grease melded with the flesh from both the clone skin and Steve's skin, forming a thin protective layer over the wound. They repeated the operation a few times until the layer was thick enough to provide a strong mattress of flesh. When that was done, the healers flipped Steve on his back. The older woman emptied the contents of the bottle into the wound until the liquid leveled with Steve's abdomen and began the skin-graphing process to his front side.

"You can't let him eat anything anymore. Should he swallow anything, you have to make him spit it back up. Do you understand?" The older woman said to the two women staring at the operation like zombies. Revan nodded at the healer.

"You have to feed him intravenously until… well… for a very long time." The younger healer added.

"Thank you, thank you so much." Revan said to the two healers when they were finished with Steve.

"You're welcome." The two healers said while fitting the unconscious man into some comfortable looking robes. They were dark purple robes with brown lapels and collar. It wasn't very good looking, but it would have to do for the day.

Revan and Bastla held Steve upright and dragged him to the residential quadrant. When they were out of the medical bay, Bastila noticed Steve's eyes flickering open. The first thing he did when he regained consciousness was tip forward and hurl a thin yellow layer of gunk on the ground, and then he hyperventilated for a moment. He looked right and left to the women on either side of his shoulder and said:

"I feel better now." Revan nodded, and the three of them walked slowly to Revan's quarters, helping Steve with his steps along the way. When they got there, they laid him on Revan's bed.

"How do you feel?" Bastila asked.

"Tired." Steve answered.

"You've been sedated. The effects will ware off in a few hours." Revan reassured him.

"How long was I out for?" He asked.

"Four days." Revan answered.

"You two look worried, what happened in the last four days?" Steve asked.

"The council decided to put Revan on trial." Bastila said.

"… Oh…" Steve said not surprised at all about that.

"Actually, the trial is still going on; this is a recess. In a few hours we will all be called back, and you'll be put on the stand to testify for me." Revan said while running her hand through Steve's dark damp hair.

"Sure. Sure, I'll testify… how is it going so far?" Steve asked.

"I'm not so sure." Revan answered.

"It's not over yet." Bastila added.

"That good eh? Well, that's alright; I'm sure they'll find it in their hearts to do the right thing." Steve said while thinking about how much he respected the Jedi masters. Revan caught his thoughts and said:

"Actually, the trial is public… the voting is opened to all the Jedi here." Revan said and smiled, happy to see how well Steve was dealing with the situation: like a true optimist.

There was a pause, and Steve used this opportunity to loosen his robe and inspect his abdomen.

"Waw! They did a good job." He said while stroking the flesh that covered his wound. He couldn't feel it at all.

"I feel cold inside, what did they put in me?" Steve asked plainly.

"A kolto solution, I think. Does it hurt?" Bastila asked.

"No, I don't feel a thing." Steve replied.

"The healers said you should rest… At least until the trial begins. I'll wake you when it's time." Revan said while tucking the young man in her bed. She laid a soft kiss on his lips and stepped back from the bed. Steve closed his eyes, and then Bastila crouched over him to kiss him on the cheek. Steve smiled and then was fast asleep. Revan walked into the next room and signaled Bastila to follow her. Bastila went in the next room with Revan and looked into the small room. Against the far wall, there were tools and fabrics spread across a large table.

"What is it?" Bastila asked while observing the unfinished project on the table.

"It's a surprise for Steve. I'm making him a new suit, just like he'd always wanted it to be. Can you help me with it?" Revan asked her friend.

"Sure… I don't know what to do though." Bastila said.

"I just have a few pieces left to put on it. With your help, we can finish it before the trial starts." Revan said.

While Steve slept, Revan and Bastila kept their minds off the case. They enjoyed the distraction this project offered them. They both felt good about doing something that would bring joy to another. It also felt good to share a goal with someone else. Bastila had not had a master for a long time. She was still a padawan, mostly because she never had time for additional preparations to begin her trial for knighthood, but also because she didn't quite feel ready. She had all the motivation in the world to become a great Jedi Knight; she was also very strong in the force. The problem was that she doubted herself; doubted her ability to control herself. Another problem was the obvious reason why she didn't have a master: She was already performing duties that a Jedi knight would; duties that required her to operate independently from others. It was because of her battle meditation. In the past few years, she had been forced into countless battles to use her powers. She didn't have much time to train anything else because of that. She had to sacrifice her education for it. This was the biggest reason why she wasn't ready to be a knight. It gave her great pride to be important to the war and to the order, but, as she understood what was being sacrificed, she began to see it as a burden. What she regretted the most was that she had been too busy to think of other things than the war. She regretted not being as wise as Revan. Had she been wiser, she could have multitasked during the war: sharing her training with her duties. She could have become so much more. As she thought of that, she realized how powerful Revan must have been. With all her responsibilities, she had still gained incredible amounts of power and wisdom during the wars. Bastila realized that what she had learned of Revan's power must have been but a fraction of its potential. Moreover, Revan probably knew so much more than she had displayed to her. What she felt while working around Revan was just like being with a mentor. The bond that developed between them after Bastila saved Revan had very similar properties to that of the bond between master and apprentice. In fact, it felt better. They were true friends. If she were allowed to, she would love another opportunity to learn from Revan's infinite wisdom, for as long as it wasn't forbidden knowledge…

Two hours had passed, and it was time for the trial to continue. Revan sat on the bed next to the sleeping man and whispered in his ears:

"Wake up my love, wake up." All together, the three of them left the room on their way to the big crowd of Jedi. Steve was called to the stand. He was nervous, more nervous than even Vin was. He shouldn't have been so nervous, but the crowd was big, and he knew his lover's fate rested with him. He didn't like the pressure of that responsibility: he always relied on Revan to take over the great responsibilities, as she was meant to. This time, it rested on him. Moreover, he was young. It was not a good start because the Jedi may perceive that as a sign he had something to hide. Steve had no intention to hide things though. He would have to make up for his shakiness by choosing his words carefully. He was confident the truth would set him free. This time, however, it was the Jedi masters that asked the questions while Revan and Bastila observed. It was only fair that way; the masters didn't know anything about this man. Furthermore, because Steve did not feel the force, they could glimpse into his mind while questioning him.

"Where are you from, young one?" Master Vandar began.

"I come from a system you call Octavis." Steve said, remembering what Revan called his star system.

"Ah… an isolated system. Far from here." Vandar replied.

"Indeed." Steve said plainly.

"Why have you come here?" Vandar asked.

"What… what do you mean?" Steve asked not knowing what answer the Jedi master was looking for.

"What made you choose to leave your home and come here? Do you not have a family you left behind?" Vandar explained his question.

"There were many reasons why I left. I do have a family there, but I have a new one now. I feel I belong here." Steve said while thinking of all the other reasons he had come here.

"Come here to kill Malak, have you?" Vandar continued.

"I… I suppose." Steve said.

"I sense you have more to say about that… see through you, we can." Vandar said.

"Killing Malak wasn't my goal, but it was… inevitable." Steve said.

"You've come here to do Revan's bidding, to do what she could not do at the time." Vrook added.

"I did." Steve said honestly.

"Are you a killer?" Vrook said while frowning.

"NO! No… I'm not!" Steve said.

"We see right through you. Ever since Revan brought you here, you've killed. You can't deny this." Vrook spat.

"I've killed people, I admit. But you can't blame it on Revan. I killed Malak for you, because YOU could not, not because Revan couldn't. If we waited longer, Malak would have done far more damage…" Steve admitted. Revan turned away, not liking the direction the questioning was taking. It wasn't fair to blame Steve for any of that. He was far from being a killer.

"You've killed others, I can see this." Vrook said.

"It was in self defense. The Sith gave me no choice." Steve said.

"Your thoughts betray you." Vrook said annoyed of Steve's ignorance. Steve closed his eyes in shame and remembered that he had killed two Sith in the academy on his way to the chamber. The thought that he hadn't given them a chance to withdraw from their attack must have crossed his mind when Vrook questioned him.

"I've killed… I've killed two Sith men on Korriban. I remember now. I acted on instinct; something told me they were dangerous. After all, they did engage me." Steve said honestly.

"You did feel the force at that time; I wonder if it was the dark side that led you to that action." Master Jarr cut in.

"I can't answer that… I'm not in a position to answer that." Steve rephrased.

"Perhaps not." Vrook said coldly. He was sure Steve had very little knowledge of the force and may not know the difference.

"When you arrived here, you were tainted by the dark side. You wore Darth Revan's robes and mask, you walked like a Sith, talked like a Sith and had the power of a Sith. What do you have to say about that?" Vrook asked.

"Don't judge a book by its cover." Steve said, knowing there was no better response than that.

"Why do you seem to think you didn't belong to that category of people?" Master Vandar asked calmly, very interested to know what Steve would say.

"Because I've never followed in their ways, never acted like a Sith… walk, talk and clothing aside. When I first met you, I still hadn't harmed a soul. Never had a reason to. Perhaps you couldn't read my mind then, but know this: my thoughts were never impure." Steve said.

"Perhaps not, but your still hiding something." Vrook stared at him. Steve closed his eyes and shook his head in disappointment. It wasn't wrong to hide what he was hiding, but, if the master really must know, he wasn't going to withhold it.

"I had to ACT like a Sith, that was just as important to the mission as anything else. It's not my fault if you were tempted to fear me rather that understand… just like Vin… just like Bastila and just like everyone I crossed paths with. I don't feel the force anymore and I never will, let's not talk about that anymore, please." Steve pleaded.

"Very well." Vrook said.

"Perhaps we should call for another recess" Master Jarr proposed, seeing how Steve wasn't feeling very good considering the psychological stress that added to his physical condition.

"Thank you, master Jarr, that's very considerate of you. I'll never forget your kindness. On that thought, I want to use this opportunity to thank all of you for saving my life." Steve said while stepping down from the stand. He had a terribly sad look on his face. He didn't think this trial was going good at all. It wasn't his fault though; he was being honest. He was relieved that Jarr noticed his distress and called for that recess.

Steve retired with Revan and Bastila, heading towards a quieter place where he could clear his mind. In the distance, he could hear the voice of a woman:

"I have some new evidence that might help."

Steve looked to the woman who said it. It was a Jedi healer, probably one that was assigned to heal him, but he couldn't see well through the kolto tank, not well enough to confirm her identity. She was handing over an envelope to one of the masters. The masters took out the sheets of paper that were in it and distributed them amongst themselves. Steve turned around and kept moving. He just wanted to get away. He, Revan and Bastila retreated to the cafeteria. No one felt hungry, but, since the cafeteria was empty, they would take the opportunity to snack while escaping the sadness that surrounded them. Steve was well aware he couldn't eat. Not only did he feel it, but he also knew enough about his anatomy to know it was a very bad idea… He was content to sit by and watch while his friends ate. Just the soothing aroma of the food was enough to distract him.

"You did ok out there, Steve." Revan tried to reassure him, though she knew it would not cheer him up.

"She's right Steve, you did. You'll have your chance to make yourself understood… I just hope it comes before the trial finishes…" Bastila tried to cheer him up but didn't realize she was making things worse. Steve buried his face in his hands, covering his eyes and mouth.

"This is alllll wrong. I feel terrible!" Steve moaned.

"See, what I mean? He cares too much what the Jedi think." Revan said to Bastila, reminding her of a previous conversation. Steve sat up straight and held Revan in a strong embrace. He wasn't crying, but that would have been the same. He just stayed like that for many minutes, just holding Revan against him as comfortably as he could, shutting his eyes and pretending there was nothing else in the world.

"This isn't going anywhere Steve; we have to get you out of this mess. We have to cheer you up. Walk with us; let's get out of here… breathe some fresh air. It'll do you good." Revan said, knowing that it would do exactly that.

Bastila, Steve and Revan walked out of the enclave to stroll through the grassy plains of Dantooine. The sun wasn't far from setting; there were maybe a few hours of daylight left. The air was cool and clean. The three of them walked for a while and spotted at a brook. It looked like a nice place to sit around for a while, and so they did. They settled down on large boulders that were scarce around the brook. The sound of the water was soothing; it mixed with the sounds of the wild life: there were birds in the sky and herbivores trotting in the fields. In the distance, there were barks: not those of dogs but definitely those of predators… perhaps those of the kath hounds. Revan's stare was lost in the horizon; she definitely sensed something.

"What is it?" Bastila asked noticing a change in her companion through the force.

"I don't know yet." Revan answered before she cross-legged and closed her eyes, entering a state of meditation. Steve lifted an eyebrow and looked into Bastila's eyes, which seemed to share the confusion. Steve stood up and approached Bastila. He extended his had and said:

"Come with me." he said gently. Bastila was confused but decided she could trust him. Steve led her on top of a hill, not far behind the brook, and looked far in the horrizon. Bastila did the same.

"There; those animals, do you see them?" Steve pointed far into the horizon at small figures that looked like no more than small pebbles in the distance.

"Yes, I see them." Bastila nodded.

"I think there's something wrong with them. Do you sense anything?" Steve said, knowing full well that Bastila had a far greater chance of finding out what was troubling Revan than he did. Bastila closed her eyes and focused for a moment.

"I don't know… It's hard to see." She said after giving up.

"Is it usually this hard to see?" Steve asked curiously.

"No, actually, it isn't. There is definitely something going on." She said. Steve and Bastila walked back to the brook to see what Revan found out.

"What is it?" Bastila asked Revan when her friend was done meditating.

"There's someone out there that needs our help." Revan said coolly.

"Shouldn't we go help?" Bastila asked, getting ready to leave hastily to the aid of another. Revan shook her head and said:

"She'll be there tomorrow. Today, we can't help her." Revan said.

"We have to go back to the enclave now, they are waiting for us." Revan added as she was getting off the rock she was meditating on.

"But…" Bastila started.

"Don't worry Bastila. Be patient, there's nothing we can do about it today. Trust me." She said while placing her hand on Bastila's shoulder. The young Jedi nodded and followed Revan and Steve back to the enclave.

When they got close enough to the crowd, they felt something had changed. There were many whispers and voices going around as usual, but, this time, it looked as though people were… happy… almost cheerful. A lot of the people were passing papers around. Some people were holding it above their heads, waving the papers at others. It was hard to make out from this far, but, as they got closer, Steve, Revan and Bastila all noticed something familiar displayed against the master's stand, facing the crowd. It was a rather large poster displaying something that they couldn't make out until they got much closer to it. "I LOVE YOU BOTH" was the message that was displayed on the kolto tank in between the two beautiful women. Steve laughed of joy at the picture: This was definitely what he needed to cheer him up. He couldn't see well through the tank but from this perspective, it was amazing to see the faces on those women… completely amazing. This was the picture that was flying around in the crowd. Steve walked to the stand where he was called, with much more confidence this time.

"Are you the man in that picture?" Master Jarr began. Steve pondered the every meaning of the question and smiled at the reassuring clarity of his answer:

"I am."

"You are not a Jedi and your motivations are not the same… but they are very close. You are the man in that picture, which means Revan must be the woman standing at your side. They say a picture paints a thousand words. Do you understand the meaning?" Master Jarr asked. Steve nodded and said:

"I do."

"We can't see into Revan's mind the way we can see through yours, but, through you, we are beginning to understand. This picture supports the fact that Revan has truly changed. As you said, our fear was unfounded. What do you think?" He smiled.

"I think I like you, master Jarr; you're a good man. It's good to see there are others who can see through my eyes, and trough Revan's eyes. You won't regret it." Steve said joyfully.

"I haven't regretted a decision in a very long time." Jarr smiled.

"Neither have I." Steve smiled was even bigger.

"Before we move on to the voting, I want to make it clear to everyone that we are not here to judge Revan's darker past but to decide how we will remember her in the future." Master Vrook said as plainly as he could.

Steve stepped down the stand and rejoined Revan and Bastila. Meanwhile, the Jedi formed lines and began entering their votes into the computers organized on either side of the stands. Many took this opportunity to pass by Revan and inspire confidence in the results of the trial. Masters Jarr and Vandar were among them. Also, the two healers came by to discuss the picture that they had taken. Revan thanked the older woman for having introduced it in the trial. The padawans that Revan had helped train not long ago also stopped by. Some of them carried the pictures; they asked for Revan and Bastila's autographs, and some even asked for Steve's. The last ones to vote were the masters. Because of their vote-point allocation, theirs made the biggest difference. Everyone suddenly went silent as Vrook gave out the final result as loudly as he could:

"The vote is complete; the results… are in Revan's favor."

The crowds burst out in applause. Steve wrapped his arms around Revan and Bastila and almost cried of joy. It was such a difference from what he had felt just a few hours ago. Revan was free to go. It was almost nighttime though, Revan and Steve would stay overnight… they also had some business to take care of the next morning. Steve had to prepare his "meals" for next few days because his needs were now far different than before. Revan stopped by the medical bay and purchased a few instruments that Steve needed. Steve would have preferred to sleep in the Ebon Hawk where he had been accustomed to sleeping: just one bunk away from Revan… most of the time. However, he had been told that the Ebon Hawk had been off-limits to anyone for the total of Revan's stay at the enclave. It wouldn't have been impossible to get permission to get back in the ship that night, if they asked, but Revan had already settled back in her old room. When Steve got back to Revan's quarters, he saw that she and Bastila were already in there, waiting for him. They were holding something behind their backs. Steve smiled knowing what that meant: they had a surprise for him. He dropped the supplies he carried on the side of the entrance and approached the two women with a big smile on his face.

"What have you got there?" Steve asked happily. Revan and Bastila offered him what they had in their hands.

"It's perfect! Even better than I imagined it! Thank you so much!" He said after inspecting the outfit's every detail: Just as he wanted, it was a one-piece black suit made of strong and thick materials with a zipper in the back. He tried it on right away. It fit him like a glove, down to every last bulge of his ribs and muscles. He was relieved that he didn't have to walk around barefoot anymore; just like his previous suit, it had paddings like shoe soles built into the suit. It had a stretchable interior to make it easy for him to slip his feet into place, and the outside of his suit was hard, similar to hard leather armor, to protect him. The craftsmanship was outstanding. Just as he wanted, it had a thick rounded collar that gave plenty of room for his neck to expand. Also, on his shoulders there were strong protective pads that covered from his collar bone to his shoulder plates; these were the only parts of his body that he was seriously concerned about, though the more he thought about it, the more he was concerned for protecting… another part of his body, one that was not so easily repaired. Nonetheless, the suit was better than he ever dreamed. He hugged and kissed the two women and realized how tired he was. Bastila was off to bed as well and left the two of them together. Before going to bed, Steve immediately thought of feeding himself. It had become a dirtier business now… He had to mix some supplements together into a solution that he would inject directly into his bloodstream. The worst part was that it took a very long time to perform: the contents of the flexible pouch couldn't simply be added to his system because there was a limit of blood volume the body could handle at a time. The idea was to have the blood circulate into the pouch and mix with the food before returning into the body. Because he couldn't cut up a vein and create an inlet and outlet on himself, it would take a long time for the mixing to occur. It would have to be done by a much slower pumping process. This is why it would be a good idea to do it overnight even though it would be uncomfortable… it would also be an obstacle to other nocturnal activities... During the day, he would have to make time to feed himself this way, at least once per day. It wasn't very good for his metabolism, but, considering that there was now a pool of liquid that replaced what was once a portion of his intestines, a vital organ, there wasn't much he could do that would make him perform physical tasks like he could before. He felt all right though; as long as he didn't have to lift himself up with only his abdominal muscles, he would be just fine.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5. Moving In.

It was a strange morning on Dantooine. It looked like it was about to rain, yet it never fell. Steve was the first one up this time. That was very unusual. He was the kind of person that doesn't believed one can get too much sleep. He took a shower and slipped into his new outfit. He stepped outside for some fresh air and enjoyed the scenery. There wasn't much to see from outside Revan's quarters, but it still felt rather new to Steve. There were few Jedi already wondering about that morning. He inspected them as they walked by. They were always preoccupied with something, never looking back. It was interesting to see people like that. On his home planet, Steve felt everyone was stalling their entire lives… he was one of them. He felt like wandering a bit farther. He couldn't resist snooping around the enclave. He was mostly curious to find out what the younglings were like. He wanted to know what a Jedi started off as, to see how it differed from his culture. He made his way to a portion of the training area. The first group of people he encountered were not younglings, they were young adults, perhaps a couple of years younger than him. They were training their saber techniques against remotes, like they did most of the time. This was the best training a Jedi could do; not only because it taught them how to defend themselves against energy weapons, but also because it required them to focus very hard on the force. Steve remembered how he trained to do that. He didn't have remotes on his planet; he had to use a rock launcher he had made himself. Depending on the rock's shape and weight, it would have a different trajectory, so he had to predict what was coming at him, just like these Jedi were trying to predict when the remotes would fire. He didn't have a lightsaber at the time though; he had to use a large rod to deflect the rocks. He approached a Jedi trainer and asked if there was a group practicing saber dueling techniques. The trainer pointed him in a direction. Steve followed the instructions and went into a very large and tall room. In the middle of that room, there was a very small group of Jedi; this time, they were all his age or older. All around the room there were obstacles: large objects that could be moved around to be repositioned anywhere in the room; that way, it would never be the same battlefield. Also there were walkways everywhere, multiple levels of them. The walkways were made of strong alloys and had perforations in them everywhere so you can see what was going on from any level. Steve watched the battles made by the teams of Jedi in the room. He never had a chance to see that in real life. His duel with Malak was not at all the same. Besides, it took every ounce of his concentration to keep himself alive in that duel. He couldn't exactly observe what he was doing like he could observe these Jedi. It was kind of interesting: they were not as skilled as he believed, not even the trainers seemed very good. After thinking about it for a moment, he realized this kind of training was rather very rare among the Jedi: they had very little reason to engage in saber duels in reality… If it weren't for the Sith, they probably never had to. There was no material in the galaxy that could withstand the intense heat of a lightsaber. No blade could ever resist it; the lightsabers were hot enough to melt diamonds almost instantly. However, there were some weapons developed with forcefields protecting them from coming in contact with the laser beams, but they were very rare. No one used weapons like that except for the Echani and perhaps other warriors that trained in versatility. Steve wondered how he would fair against a Jedi the way he was. He was confident his wound wasn't going to conflict with his techniques. He was very skilled in the arts of fencing. Just because he didn't feel the force anymore, it didn't mean he had lost his skill; it only mean he wasn't as fast or as strong… or as cunning as the Jedi, but what he still had was skill. He probably could predict his opponents move without the force, though it wasn't nearly as efficient as the force. He was curious to know how fast his brain was without the force… but it wasn't a good time for that. He thought he should ask Revan to make some training sabers for him and find out later. It was still a passion for him. The only thing he thought was not good about that plan was that, if he wasn't fast enough anymore, Revan would get bored of practicing against him… but perhaps he would be of good use to Bastila; she still had much to learn of dueling.

The moment Revan stepped outside of her room, the clouds that covered the sun disappeared. To her, it was just like it started off this way. She had time to eat and get her things ready for the day. Bastila had met her in the cafeteria. The Jedi council had spoken to her this morning. If it hadn't been for that delay, she would have been there earlier. Bastila was on a tight leash for a great part of her life, and, ever since she volunteered to spy on Revan, she was held even tighter. There were no pressing matters: it was just a routine meeting with the masters. Bastila was given the day to make sure Revan and Steve left the enclave safely. She was not to follow them anymore however. He assignment was officially over, and she had to be on standby for a new one. That meant that she had to stay at the enclave. She wondered if she would ever see Revan and Steve after this day, but something told her she would. When they were finished eating, they went looking for Steve. Obviously, it didn't take long for Revan to find him. He was like a living beacon to her. She was the only one there that could sense him from afar. Everyone else could only sense him like a regular human being, not aware of his unique and powerful signature through the force. As she had discovered, that was because it was outside of everyone's perceptibility, just like microwaves, and infrareds, and ultraviolets, and so on. When Revan entered the training room, she noticed how Steve was very attentive. He was observing the Jedi's every move as if he were to be tested on it afterwards. He didn't even notice Bastila and Revan sneaking up on him until Revan placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Good morning. I was going to go back to your room, but I was so distracted looking at these Jedi. You see that tall one over there? He's faster that all the rest, even faster than the trainer, but he keeps losing the battles because he doesn't move around enough. And that woman there, she's so elegant when she fights, but, every time she lifts her two feet at the same time, she loses her focus." Steve started to give his observations away. Revan was very content listening to him; she enjoyed the fact that he could find almost anything interesting. For a Jedi, none of this was very exciting anymore. The Jedi didn't do anything for the excitement of it. Bastila, for instance, never had motivation for her saber techniques because she didn't feel it was very useful. She was strong enough in the force to be somewhat of a natural though, and that's all she originally needed. However, that was before her close encounters with the Sith. Now she had more of a reason to spend time learning some moves.

"We have to go now. Someone outside the enclave needs our help… remember?" Revan said in his ears, trying to win back his attention.

"Of course, let's go then!" He said as he snapped back into reality for a moment.

"Do you think we can get some of those training sabers?" Steve asked Revan.

"I'll make some for you when I have the time." She answered.

"Bastila, did you see the Echani today?" Steve asked out of the blue.

"No, I haven't seen her." Bastila responded.

"What has she been up to these days? Is she feeling well?" He said. He had seen her briefly the day before but hadn't spoken to her.

"The healers said she is doing very well. I don't think she likes wandering around though, you know how she is." Bastila said.

"Right. Let's not forget to pick her up and bring her home, right Revan?" Steve said and they all laughed. Revan wasn't about to leave her behind, but the thought of forgetting her was kind of funny. She was rather like a ghost that one: she was really on a low profile wherever she was.

Bastila borrowed a speeder from the Jedi officials. It wasn't because the journey was a long one but rather for safety reasons. Steve was very happy. It was like going on a boat ride: as the speeder glided above the tall grass, it looked like they were on green water. The air draft created by the speeder sent out waves through the grass. Ahead of them, the way was perfectly clear. There were very few obstacles along the way. After a few minutes of riding, Revan, who was piloting the craft at the time, had to slow down to avoid a rather large flock of herbivores stampeding away from something that had scared them. That thing was not the speeder. Revan maneuvered safely around them though. Once they were safely past the frightened beasts, there was nothing left around. No matter how far away you looked, there was simply nothing in sight. What these animals were running from must have been far away but not too far away for a speeder to catch up to. Just over two minutes later, on the other side of a grassy dune, there was finally something that could explain the beast's reaction. Directly ahead of the speeder, there was a kath hound. It was running full speed towards the speeder, face to face. On either side of the dunes, there waited more of them. They all seemed to want to attack the speeder. As they got closer and closer to the incoming kath hound, everyone's heart was beating faster and faster. Steve and Bastila expected that animal to get out of the way or something, but it just kept running towards them… it had a death wish. Five seconds later, there was a loud _thunk _as the front of the speeder rammed over the thick skull of the beast. Just behind them, the passengers could see the dead animal roll through the grass like a large oddly shaped boulder that had rolled down a steep hill. Farther beyond the dead beast, there were the other hounds that kept chasing them.

"Why in the world did you do that? You could have TRIED to avoid it!" Bastila said loudly enough to bury the sound of the engine and the thin plate of bent metal under the speeder that was rubbing against the ground.

"That hound was possessed." Revan said simply.

"I've never seen an animal do that. There's no doubt they are completely insane." Steve added. Bastila didn't say anything more. She just kept an eye behind the speeder. They were all still pursuing them, but the gap between them was growing large.

"Somehow, I doubt they are going to stop." Steve said.

"We're almost there… if they aren't tired enough by the time we get there… we'll have to kill them too. But I'm sure they'll be too exhausted." Revan said.

Revan stopped the speeder at the entrance of a short canyon. It was an interesting site. Earlier in history, this entire plain must have been a sea. This was probably an area where there must have been an amazing river delta. There were many openings like that. Above these short canyons, there was more tall grass. From the air, you probably couldn't see it was even there. When you were standing at the same level, it was a pretty site. The brown-red rocks that made the canyon walls were a contrast from the evergreen of the plains. The passengers exited the speeder, and they all stood at the entrance of the canyon, waiting for Revan to finally give away her plan.

"Bastila, would you be a sport and lend Steve your lightsaber?" Revan asked, not feeling she had to explain everything to her younger friend.

"What's wrong with yours?" Bastila asked instinctively.

"Have you forgotten the color of my blade?" She answered equally instinctively. Steve didn't say a word because he was far past asking dumb questions to Revan. If she wanted something done, she had the best of reasons for it, and, sometimes, it was better not to ask. Besides, she always said everything that was important to know. Steve just extended his arm and took the cylinder object that was offered to him.

"Steve, there's a Jedi on the other side of this canyon. Bastila and I can't help you on this one: If I go, this Jedi will be consumed by fear… If Bastila goes, she will get angry… She is lost, she needs a guide." Revan said. Steve was thinking about how he felt about handling a lightsaber like this… He thought about the dueling the Jedi were doing in the academy, and, though he may have felt capable of doing that, there were many other things a Jedi could do that he couldn't.

"Are you sure I can do this?" He asked. Revan could see what he was worried about.

"Don't worry my love. The Jedi would never use a force power against a normal human. Not even a Jedi that is tainted by the dark side… She won't consider you… threatening enough. Just relax, and do what you do." Revan gave out a faint smile and Steve nodded.

Steve loved the feeling of carrying a lightsaber. His suit didn't have a belt on it or anything to hang it on, but it didn't matter; he preferred to hold it in his palm. These were such beautiful weapons. They were all hand crafted and personalized by their wielder. They carried with them a signature, which made every lightsaber unique. They were majestic weapons that, when used, displayed a most astonishing spectacle of light. The lightsaber Steve held carried Bastila's signature: a part of her very being. It was ironic that, not very long ago, the vivid yellow blade extended by this single hilt was the very one that threatened to kill him that day on Nar Shadaa. Now it became his guardian. It belonged to one of his very few remaining friends, and a wonderful woman she was. Had it not been for Bastila, he would have been dead twice over. She was a good friend, and he loved her. He wondered if they would see each other after this day. He wondered what would happen to their friendship. It wasn't unheard of for Jedi to take vacations and visit others, but, if the masters wanted to, they could keep Bastila from ever seeing him again. He suddenly stopped thinking about that and returned in the moment.

Steve had just reached the other side of the canyon where there was now a clearing. It kind of looked like an oddly shaped crater, the way the canyon walls surrounded it. On the far right side of this clearing, there was a ruin. It was some sort of collapsed stone structure. There were still some pillars that stood erect from the ruins. The stones were of a dark gray marble that hardly seemed natural. He knew this is where he would find what he was looking for. He didn't need to feel the force to know this area was strong in the dark side. He didn't fear it though: he was taught to cope with the dark side as if it were anything else. It was as part of the force as the light side was. Though, alone, it was of a terrifying evil, the dark side of the force was never free of impurities. The path of the dark side may have been an easy one, an easy way to gain quick power, but, just like any absolute, it had its limits. Revan was among the only people who still possessed its power and who could combine it successfully to that of the light. Such a thing was forbidden to do. The dark side was an enemy to the Jedi, and the light side was an enemy to the Sith. It was like a betrayal of the force itself… only it wasn't. Those that were able to combine the two at the same time were easily targeted by both Jedi and Sith. Revan was a rogue, and it was because it was only the Jedi that knew what she was that she could continue like this… and it's clear that they had tried to stop her already. Had the Sith known of her current state, the Jedi would not lift a finger to help her. She had no allies she could depend on... only friends. It wasn't fair though; Revan was far from evil. She had everything she needed though, and, soon, she would disappear off the map and be safe. All she wanted now was to do things her own way with the people she cared most about.

Steve stepped on the solid ruin floor and look at the shadows being cast down by the stone pillars that still stood. Just ahead, he could see a shape moving through those shadows. The figure was moving towards him. When it reached the light, it stepped out for Steve to see. It was a female Cathar. At first, Steve was a little frightened. From what he knew of the felines on his planet, they were all vicious. This woman reminded him of that. He thought, if she was that vicious before the dark side tainted her, this would prove most difficult. Now that she was tainted however, he had more to worry about than just that. Steve put aside his thoughts of feline stereotypes and looked at this woman as an individual.

"The council insults me to send a clown like you after me. You have interrupted my meditation and invaded my new domain. Soon, you will trouble me no more. I will strike you down in a heart beat." The Cathar spat in annoyance before igniting her blue lightsaber.

"I'm not here on the council's behalf. I have no association with them…" Steve started.

"LIES! You may not feel the force, but you still carry the weapon of a Jedi." The Cathar said.

"This weapon is only for my protection. If it were anything else, you would kill me." Steve continued.

"I will destroy you human!" The feline woman yelled before charging out of the ruins. Steve activated Bastila's lightsaber and held his ground. The Cathar attacked fiercely without much concern for defense. It was common for those that were just new to the dark side to attack in such a way. It was a poor tactic to use against anyone that had experience in duels. Steve knew how to handle this, but it felt completely different to fight without the force. Also, he had no wish to attack the woman. His only concern was to defend himself. This made things very difficult because the Cathar's attacks were made to oppose just that kind of behavior. At first, Steve felt completely unprepared for this fight. In times past, he didn't have to be prepared for something like this, but, now that he was normal again, he was unsure of himself. His heart was beating incredibly fast. The adrenaline had been instantly released into his system the moment the Cathar attempted to land her first strike. He felt clumsy at first and was stepping back to avoid the deadly strokes of his opponent's blade, but, the more his heart was pumping, the better he felt. The Cathar sensed his fear and didn't hesitate to continue her aggressive tactics. It didn't take long for him to adapt himself to his condition. After his body was sufficiently supplied with adrenaline, his actions seemed to catch up with his mind. As he hoped, his brain was still very fast. He could see very clearly where the Cathar was attempting to land her next moves and was able to intercept them with much more ease than he expected. He was very reassured that his skills were intact. He was improving so much in so little time. The Cathar was suddenly surprised to see this. In her perspective, it looked like this man was making fun of her at first, pretending to be weak. Now, he fought like a Jedi Knight. Still, she felt like she was a good challenge for him.

"You aren't as weak as you appear. If only you were a Jedi, I wouldn't feel bad about killing you. Now it seems to be a shame to waste someone of your natural talent." The woman said before speeding up her attacks. It appeared that she, too, was holding back on her abilities. Still, Steve held his ground and kept improving himself. It was almost a coincidence that he could improve as fast as the danger was coming. It was as though he had just what it took to stay alive every step of the way. There had been a time where he was fast enough to challenge a group of people of the Cathar's skill. He was slowly remembering that feeling. By the end of this fight, he would have improved enough to challenge the average Jedi, or hopefully even more. He started using only one hand for a moment to see what he was capable of. When the Cathar saw how well he was doing and how he always modifying his techniques, she realized Steve was not just skilled, he had knowledge of what he was doing. He seemed to have even more potential than she did at this time. She felt enough shame for herself already that she began slowing her attacks. Steve was also slowing down his moves. The Cathar finally gave up, knowing Steve had no intention of harming her. She finally decided to give him a chance to speak. Steve was breathing hard, harder than she was. It took a moment before his breathing slowed enough for him to speak.

"I'm here to help you, I mean you no harm." He began while catching his breath.

"Who are you, and, if you're not a Jedi, then why are you here?" The woman said in a low tone of voice.

"My name is Steve… I came here on Dantooine for… medical reasons. I'm not alone here: there are others with me… I was told you were in need of help. Why are you like this? What happened to you?" He asked with concern in his voice.

"I've killed my master, I've stuck her down in anger. I have nowhere else to go anymore… This is where I belong now, alone with my shame, and guilt, and hate. This place is the only place that can make use of these feelings… I do not wish to be bothered. Please leave." The Cathar said in despair.

"Wait, I must know your name. I need to understand more of what happened to you. Let me stay a moment, I beg you." Steve pleaded.

"What is there to say? I failed. I was not strong enough to resist my anger against my own master. And even with the power of the force… the power of the dark side, I can't even defeat the likes of you!" She said in shame. Steve was about to comfort her, when he noticed her attention shift behind him. It was Bastila and Revan who just exited the canyon.

"These are my very best friends, perhaps you already know them. Don't fear them. They are the ones that found you; they only wish to speak with you. The one on the left is Bastila Shan… and the one on the right… is Revan." Steve said, not knowing what effect it would have on the woman.

"Impossible. It can't be… No." The Cathar said. It wasn't directed at Steve, though it seemed to be meant to convince herself.

"I heard you disappeared after you were released. I heard you lost your power, but you… you did not." She said to Revan.

"What is your name?" Revan asked the Cathar.

"I'm Juhani." The Cathar answered.

"I know what you are going through, Juhani. I know what it feels like to fall to the dark side; I know what it feels like to strike down those you care about in anger… I know what it feels like not to belong anywhere, and I know what it's like to be lost." Revan began.

"You are Darth Revan, of course you know of these things. What do you want from me?" Juhani asked.

"I'm here to tell you that YOU, Juhani, are not lost. You are not a slave to the will of the dark side, and you do belong somewhere. You are far from being lost. You are a good person and a good Jedi." Revan said.

"I… I've killed my master. I can never go back…" Juhani explained.

"You did not choose this path Juhani, it was just an accident. You have not fallen yet. From here, it is a question of choice. You did not choose to kill your master. If you could, you would go back in time and prevent it wouldn't you?" Revan said.

"I… I did not wish for my master to die! I have failed her! I can never go back…" Juhani cried out.

"You're wrong. You can go back, if you choose too. Be strong Juhani. Look inside yourself. You know what you want; this is all that matters. Go back to the enclave. Speak to the masters. They will forgive you as they have forgiven me. This is my friend Bastila Shan; she can help you. Try being a Jedi again. You are not alone in this. They can help you… we can help you. If you go back and still feel you don't belong, you will be welcome to live with me. In my home, you will be at peace, safe from the dark side and free to do what you want. If the Jedi do no sympathize with you, speak with Bastila; she will guide you, and, if you wish to get away from it all, she can guide you to me. You will always have somewhere where you belong my friend, always." Revan said softly.

"If my master was alive today, she would want me to return… I will go back, and, if they accept me, I will try even harder to become the Jedi I always wanted to be. If they don't, what will become of me?" Juhani asked.

"If you want to be a Jedi, Juhani, you will be. Let's get you home." Revan said.

Steve couldn't help but smile. This is what he was meant to do, and it was because of Revan that he could do it. He didn't want it to be any other way. It was the most wonderful feeling to help people like Juhani. Bastila didn't say anything, but everyone could see that she was happy too. Revan was proud of everyone, and that was the kind of happiness she liked the most. While walking back to the speeder, Steve realized he still had Bastila's hilt in his palm. He was surprised she didn't ask for it back as soon as they were together. She must have been distracted.

"Here, take your lightsaber back, Bastila. Thank you for lending it to me." Steve said as he handed it over to the young Jedi.

"You put your life at risk to help a fellow Jedi, Steve, it's I who should be thanking you." Bastila smiled.

"You would have done the same for anyone." Steve observed.

"I know, but I'm the Jedi, not you." Bastila clarified.

Steve smiled and kissed her on the cheek. Bastila blushed and Revan smiled.

"Besides, I think you would have done the same for anyone also." Bastila added.

"I'm not so sure… I can't put a value on anyone's life, and that's why I would be tempted to rescue just about anyone… but that works both ways: sometime I forget to think, "What is my life worth?" Steve said honestly.

This time, it was Juhani that spoke her wisdom:

"You are not a Jedi, and you swore no oath to protect others yet you do it anyways. You are a treasure. Forgive me for my past actions against you; I am ashamed of what I have done… People would be fools not to risk themselves to save you, Jedi or not Jedi. I commend you."

"I can see you are already a great Jedi Juhani. I will never regret my actions here today. I'm honored to have met you, and I thank you for your compliment." Steve said.

As Bastila sat in the rear seat of the speeder, she felt the warmth of her lightsaber hilt against her thigh. It reminded her of the brief piece of the duel she had just witnessed. She reached over to Steve, who was sitting just in front of her, and said:

"You… you did good in that duel Steve. I'm glad you still have some skills with a lightsaber." Bastila thought it would take a greater effort to say it but was relieved to find that it was rather easy.

"Thanks Bastila, that means a lot to me." Steve said. Bastila was about to say something else, but Juhani said something first:

"What do you mean _still have skills_?" The Cathar was curious. Bastila turned to look at Juhani, who was sitting next to her and said:

"Ehm… Steve here… he ehm… well, he's actually the one that killed Darth Malak." She couldn't say it straight because it sounded so unrealistic to say. It WAS him who did it, but there was much more to it than that.

"I was told it was Revan who did it… but I guess she didn't have her power." Juhani said realizing that all she heard of it were rumors. Revan, who was finishing he repairs underneath the front of the speeder, overheard the conversation and looked up to say:

"It's complicated, that's why you haven't hear the true version of the story. Steve pretended to be me: he wore my suit and wielded my blade… along with all the power I possessed. On the record, I'm responsible for Malak's death… off the record, Steve did it." She said as quickly as she could so she can proceed with the repairs.

"It's not important to know how it happened exactly. All that matters now is that the Jedi freed Revan, just the way she is." Steve added. He was curious to know what Bastila saw of his duel; he wanted the opinion of an outside observer.

"What did you see of the duel?" Steve asked his friend behind him.

"I didn't see much. Shortly after I was able to see you, you stopped. I'm just saying you must have done a good job." Bastila clarified.

"Oh. I can't wait to try that again… I mean with training sabers." Steve said.

"What for? There isn't much you can use it for." Bastila said in a dissuading tone. She still couldn't quite understand his fascination of it. She thought it was because he intended to use a lightsaber in battle: That would be a bad idea. That question and the tone it was posed in was her way of expressing her concern.

"It's not like that: It more for the exercise at this point. I have a skill for it, and I would like to improve it. Who knows, maybe I'll be able to transfer some of what I learn to someone else. I've observed how Juhani fights, and I'm pretty sure I can help her improve. Revan taught me so much of dueling, a lot of which I can't do anymore, but I can still help." Steve explained what his intentions were.

"Just promise me you won't try using a real one like we do… It'll get you in trouble." Bastila said.

Steve smiled at his sweet friend and said:

"I promise. I understand how it can bring more harm than good. I'm not interested in getting into trouble." He said. Revan jumped into the speeder, and the four of them were on their way back to the enclave. It was passed midday now, and they had other things to do before they could leave.

The speeder arrived in the garage where Bastila had taken it. When the Jedi officials saw the damage done to the front of it and the extra passenger onboard, they were upset. Bastila tried explaining that they ran into trouble during legitimate Jedi business, but the officials knew that if she really was on an official Jedi business, they would know about it.

"Look, we didn't expect to run into blood thirsty kath hounds ok?" Bastila's temper shortened a little. Steve put his hand on Bastila's shoulder to calm her down and to tell her it was ok.

"We don't want any trouble… I apologize for the damage done to the vehicle, but we need to speak to the council. If you don't need to hold us up, please, let us leave." He said calmly.

"Alright, you can go speak to the masters, but, if your story doesn't check out, we'll need some compensation. These speeders don't grow off trees you know." The man said in a calmer matter.

"I understand." Steve said after nodding in Revan's direction.

After leaving the garage, Bastila said:

"I was almost sure he wasn't going to let us go."

"Well, technically, he didn't; I mean, we aren't off the hook yet. We'll have to mention this to the council." Steve said. They all went into the passage that led to the council chamber only to be halted by the guards. Apparently, there was already a meeting going on. This wasn't uncommon. Revan and the others simply weren't expected. Moments later, the meeting was over and the guards let the group go down into the council chamber. The masters all seemed very pleased to see these particular individuals enter the room at the same time.

"Juhani!" Master Jarr was pleased to see her.

"Revan… Bastila, you brought her back? How did you know?" Vrook asked surprised.

"Revan felt Juhani's distress, master. We all went to retrieve her, to bring her back safely." Bastila was proud.

"We are very grateful for this. There is something you must know, Juhani: your master, Belaya, is still alive… and well, I might add." Vrook said.

"How is that possible? I… I was sure she was dead." Juhani started.

"She is doing very well Juhani: she was testing you." Master Jarr said.

"I have failed her. I'm so sorry. I was not strong enough. I'm just glad she is all right." Juhani said sadly.

"You didn't fail young Jedi. The fact that you are here before us is proof that you were successful in resisting the dark side." Master Vandar said.

"Mater, without the help of these people, I would have been there still." Juhani said honestly.

"No one said you had to face it alone, Juhani. There will always be an alternative to the path of the dark side. That is the lesson your master wanted to convey to you as her final teachings to you; she believes that you are ready to become a Jedi knight." Master Jarr said softly. Steve looked at Juhani and nodded at the accuracy of this fact and saw how quickly Juhani was cheering up.

"I don't know what to say. Thank you so much… all of you." Juhani looked at everyone around the room as she said it.

"I believe master Belaya is waiting in the garden. I'm sure she would love to tell you of this herself." Master Vandar said. Juhani bowed at everyone and left to find her former master. She was so happy that things turned out so well. It made everyone around her feel good too.

"We are aware you are planning on leaving today; we don't need to hear the full details from you. Bastila can stay and do that." Vrook said to Revan and Steve.

"Masters, if you please, I wish to discuss something else with you." Revan began.

"What's on your mind Revan?" Master Vandar asked calmly.

"As you know, I'm about to retire in a secure zone… a hideout, if you will. There, I will continue my training with the help of Steve. However, I will still be required to perform certain duties… operations… in the galaxy to maintain peace. Since I do not wish to interfere in Jedi business, and I do not want any trouble to follow my actions, I would like it if we worked in harmony. Me and the Jedi alike: sharing our plans and intentions, so we don't cause any problems. I don't wish to know all of your plans, just the ones that focus on the problems I will be dealing with. In that perspective, I would like to declare Bastila my ambassador, if she agrees. She can relay information between us and coordinate our efforts. It won't require her full attention; it would merely take a moment a day." Revan proposed.

"Hmm… We will speak privately of this with Bastila, and, if she agrees, we will consider this proposal." Master Vandar said. Everyone bowed at each other. Revan and Steve left the room as serious as they could be, and, when they were out of sight, Steve jumped in Revan's arms and kissed her.

"That's such a good idea! We can be like a big happy family! This way, they won't keep us from seeing Bastila whenever we want." Steve was very happy. Revan put her arms around his waist and kissed him some more. The guards that were not far away just stared at them, but the couple didn't seem to care. After their long kiss, Revan and Steve went back to her room and picked up whatever belonged to them and transported it back to the Ebon Hawk. On the way there, Revan stopped by the cafeteria and picked up a meal. She already had a full stack of food on board the Hawk, but, whenever she had a chance to get precooked food, she did. As she was purchasing the food, Steve went to get the Echani woman. She was all ready to leave; she had very little with her. Steve used this opportunity to thank her for rescuing him from his cell.

"You did the same for me when the Sith man came after me at the cottage." She replied.

"We're going to take you home. It's yours, but, if you don't mind, Revan and I would really appreciate it if you let us live there with you… in your former mistress' academy." Steve said.

"It's too big of a place to manage alone. You're both welcome to stay for as long as you wish." The Echani woman said.

"Thank you so much. There are so many reasons why it's perfectly suitable to us. You have no idea how much it means to Revan and I." Steve thanked her.

"I'm honored to share my home with you both." She said.

When they reached the cafeteria, they noticed Revan wasn't sitting alone. She was with an older woman: a Jedi master by the looks of her robes. Steve and the Echani woman sat down quietly next to them, trying not to interrupt their conversation.

"This is Steve, he is the man that took all the risk getting Juhani back. Steve, This is Balaya, Juhani's former master and friend." Revan introduced them to each other.

"A pleasure to meet you." Steve said happily and bowed politely.

"I owe you my gratitude young man. You did a great thing today, and you will not be forgotten." She said to him.

"The council said that your apparently fatal injury was… a sort of test for Juhani. I was wondering if it was… a common practice to… deceive your padawans. I'm merely curious of your way, and I mean no offence by my question." Steve said.

"My methods are somewhat harsher than that of most masters, but I take great care in my teachings, and I would never do anything like that to Juhani unless I was sure she could prevail." She said proudly.

"You were right to think she could prevail, and now she is in an even happier… I mean greater, more meaningful situation than she ever was. For that, I think what you did was amazing, but, if you didn't plan on us to intervene, who were you expecting to retrieve her? For curiosity's sake." Steve said again, trying not to sound offensive or un-Jedi like.

"In fact, I was going to send my next padawan learner to retrieve her just later today." She explained.

"She was sure you were dead, you know, that kind of thing is incredibly hard to deal with. I just wish there was a… a less tragic way to teach her the same thing." Steve gave his opinion.

"A Jedi life is a hard life; there is much risk involved in the training of our people. It's important to consider the outcome of a situation just as much as the methods of achieving it." She said.

"I understand. I'm not sure I would enjoy being in Juhani's position, but I suppose that's not the point. If creating great Jedi knights is what you value beyond anything else, I can understand your position. Juhani will surly become just that, and I respect you immensely." Steve said.

"Thank you for understanding. I hear you're quite respectable yourself." Belaya said.

"Perhaps we will meet again sometime." Steve said before turning to Revan and saying:

"I need to feed myself. I'll be on the ship." Steve said before getting off the table, bowing to Belaya and leaving. The Echani woman followed shortly after to leave Revan and the Jedi master to converse alone. She was also happy that they were finally leaving Dantooine. Her stay here had been unpleasant. It wasn't just the physical pain and discomfort of the gash on her belly, but it was also the psychological pain of losing her sisters. She wasn't much loved by the rest of them, but they were family; the only family she had. She knew she would miss them. She wished she had another chance at getting along with them. Perhaps, if she had done it that way, all of this could have been avoided.

"What does he mean by feed himself? Why doesn't he eat here with us?" Belaya asked Revan.

"Steve was stabbed in the stomach by a lightsaber, not very long ago. His digestive system is completely shutdown." Revan said.

"That's terrible. What happened?" Belaya asked curiously, not knowing is she wanted to hear the details… at least not as she ate.

"Atris did that to him to get to me. She fell to the dark side. We couldn't save her." Revan said while minimizing the details.

"I didn't think I would hear that name again. I thought she was on a very long and important mission. What happened?" Belaya was curious.

"She fell onto some sensitive materials… strong in the dark side. It took many years, but, finally, she succumbed to it. She was very strong and wise, but she was pained by the wars. There was nothing that could be done for her, we tried our very best." Revan answered.

"Who did?" The Jedi master asked.

"Steve, Bastila, and that Echani woman you just met." Revan answered.

"I don't understand… Atris was in isolation for so long. Why did you have to go after her? I'm sure she wouldn't suddenly become a nuisance to anyone." Belaya asked.

"Things were… more complicated than that. She left me no choice." Revan started.

"What did she do?" Belaya continued.

"When she realized Steve was going to survive his wound, she took him from me… and tortured him." Revan said.

"How awful!" Belaya sympathized.

"Actually, that's why we are here; he was dying, and we had nowhere else to go… no one else would help us." Revan said.

"I see. Well I, for one, am truly glad you are here. It's wonderful to see he's doing so well… and to think he was just in a duel against a Jedi… amazing." Belaya was astonished. At that moment, Revan was summoned to the council chamber by one of the Jedi guards.

Bastila was standing in the middle of the room with a small smile on her face. It seems like they agreed to Revan's proposal. Bastila, acting for the first time as an ambassador, explained the council's opinion in her own words:

"The Jedi are looking forward to participating with you in the future. I'm honored to accept the responsibility you have bestowed upon me. I shall stay in touch with you, and, whenever I can, I'll come visit you, I promise." Bastila said and bowed. Revan was finally on her way home.

Steve settled himself in the starboard bedroom and took off his suit to replace it with the ugly robes he was offered at the medical bay. This way, he could keep his robes untied to provide an entrance for the tubes to go in. He preferred to connect the tubes on his side, just below the ribcage. That way, he could place the blood pouch on his lap when he sits and have the use of his hands. He could also carry the pouch under his arm and walk around freely. Just as he was inserting the needles into the predrilled holes on his side, the Echani woman walked in and sat next to him.

"Does it hurt?" She asked pointing at the needles.

"Last night it did, but now it doesn't hurt much." He answered.

"I'm sorry about what my sisters did to you." She said seriously.

"I'm sorry about your sisters and what they did to you." He said while pointing at her belly.

"How does it look?" He asked about her scar.

"It's hardly noticeable anymore." She answered.

"Listen, something's been on my mind ever since… well ever since my abduction: Why did your sisters hate me?" He asked softly.

"They don't hate you… personally, Steve… they hate… hated… men." She confessed.

"They feared men?" Steve asked.

"Yes. They had a… a difficult past." She said.

"What about you?" Steve was curious.

"I had a different mother… I wasn't raised the same way they were. It was only when our parents died that we lived together as a family." She confessed.

"Why would they… turn against you… like that?" He asked.

"We are a race of warriors. We train all our lives, and, when we become mature, we enter servitude. When that happens, we swear our loyalty to our superiors; a loyalty that we have learned to respect and protect with our lives. It isn't supposed to be more important than family, but… because Atris was a Jedi, she influenced us and somewhere along the way, family became… less important than duty." She said.

"Atris must have been a good person. It's a shame that we all had to experience her fall to the dark side. Haven't you noticed some signs of this fall though? Haven't you noticed a change in your mistress?" Steve asked.

"I'm… I don't know much about the dark side that you speak of. I was not allowed to speak of that subject. Atris thought it was important not to distract us with the Jedi ways." She answered.

"I see." Steve said simply.

"I'm not in her service anymore… I wish to learn of what you speak." She said.

"Sure, sure. Well, the dark side is the opposite of what the Jedi believe in. Where the Jedi find peace, the dark side finds struggle; where they find love, the dark side finds hate. The force itself is a combination of the two. The force has a strong influence on every event that takes place in the galaxy. Those that can feel the force are partially controlled by it, and, in turn, they can influence the force around them. This is the source of the Jedi power. The force has a will that can be heard by those trained to. When a Jedi hears the will of the dark side of the force and follow it's calling, they can become trapped… consumed by its power and become slaves to it. The people who fall to the dark side become completely different people. They usually hunger for power to dominate others. They become aggressive, dangerous and evil. Of course, everyone's case is unique, but, generally, that's how it goes down. Your sisters were most likely influenced by the very presence of this power. When you are around such darkness, you can lose yourself easily. Perhaps that's why Atris didn't tell you about it. She worked with holocrons of the dark side. These objects were the cause of your mistress' fall. She resisted the taint for a long time, but it all caught up to her in the end." Steve explained it similarly to how Revan would have.

"You mean my sisters fell to the dark side as well?" The difference between Atris and the others was hard to understand.

"No, it's different. Your sisters were only influenced by it, mostly on a subconscious level. Falling to the dark side is when you become a slave to its will. Your sisters could have been easily been pulled away from it, but not Atris. Your mistress couldn't simply ignore it. She would have had to confront it herself… to fight it until she could break free. It's not an easy task at all. In fact, it's almost impossible to do without the help of others. Even then, it takes a very strong will to break free." He clarified.

"Is that what Revan did? Break free?" She asked.

"I suppose so. She needed a near death experience and a very strong will to break free though. In a way, she had no choice, but it turned out exactly like she wanted. She couldn't ask for a better outcome. Hey, what are you going to do now that you don't serve anyone?" Steve asked.

"I really don't know. I will have time to think about it." She said.

"I'm glad to hear it. Maybe you'll think about making a new family of your own." He said seriously.

"What do you mean?" She said.

"Well, I'm just saying you can do whatever you want now; you don't have to live in isolation anymore, but, also… your family suffered a great loss… you're the only one left who can make a new family of your own. If that means anything to you, you should consider it. I have a brother and sister back home who can continue our family. If I didn't, I would feel compelled to continue the family line… It would be my responsibility… You know?" He said.

"I… I never thought about it." She said honestly. Steve left the Echani woman to ponder while he got the ship as ready to leave as he could. He had learned a few things about piloting and navigating it before his injury. There wasn't much he felt qualified to do, but it was a start. This way, as soon as Revan got here, they would be on their way. Revan showed up shortly after. She stood in the doorway to the cockpit and observed the young man at the controls, wearing a loose robe with a blood pouch on top of him. Steve caught a glimpse of Revan with the corner of his eye and spun the chair around to face her.

"What did they say?" He asked about her meeting with the council.

"They accepted. Bastila is our ambassador now." Revan smiled.

"Waw, that was easy. Did you have to reach a compromise or something?" He asked.

"No. They just said yes." Revan added.

"Sweetness!" Steve was excited.

The ship soon left the planet. They were on their way to Telos. The polar region of the planet was going to become their sanctuary. They would be safe from everyone. Its location was a secret to almost everyone. Even the Jedi didn't know where it was… only Bastila knew. This was how it had to be. The masters that sent Atris there in the first place didn't know exactly where it was. They left it to her to find a secure place, and they didn't need to know where she had conducted her work… She was, after all, a Jedi master, and they trusted her with the details. Hyperspace was very peaceful this time. The passengers didn't have anything to worry about at the moment. They were free and well on their way of making a new life.

The ship reached its destination without complication. Once it set on the surface of the snowy plateau, they all exited the ship and went in by the small entrance that was hidden in the snow, just as they had done before. According to the handmaiden, the docking bay could only be open from the inside. Instead of staying on the ship and waiting for the Handmaiden to get it open, both Revan and Steve followed her in. She didn't know why, but she didn't ask any questions. Shortly after descending down the entrance into the facility, Revan halted everyone.

"What is it?" Steve asked.

"Someone's waiting for us. A trap… Steve, you need to go in there alone. Just use your head; get passed the trap, and then just be yourself." She said seriously.

"Should I go unarmed?" He asked equally as serious.

"Yes, you won't need anything." She said.

"How can anyone be expecting us in here?" The handmaiden was concerned: she knew full well the secrecy of this place. For there to be trouble inside the facility could only mean something was terribly wrong.

"You'll know soon enough. It's not as bad as you think." Revan said.

"Go Steve, you'll be all right." She continued while placing her hand on his shoulder for encouragement.

"I'll see you soon." He said and then he went down the hallway all by himself.

He walked very slowly and as stealthy as he could while closely inspecting the way ahead for traps. It was not very difficult to be stealthy; all he had was his new black suit that didn't require shoes… it was very quiet. He came closer to the main room. It was a very large room that only had sofas in the middle of it. It was a common room much like the one in the Sith academy of Korriban. It was just a room that led to others, only it was smaller than the one on Korriban. Also, a strong cylinder shaped pillar that was a fraction of the size of the room held it up from underneath. Just at the edges of the room, there was a lip that separated the empty space, leading far down to the actual ground level, and the thick walls that separated the rocky cliffs outside from the rest of the facility. There was no contact between the rooms within the facility and those contouring walls. Instead, there was faint force field that kept the air from reaching that wall. It was a very efficient method of insulation. If this shield failed, the inside air would heat up the wall and the wall would heat the rocks and finally, the rocks would melt the snow around the facility. With this method, the heat signature produced within the facility never reached the outside; it was a perfect mask. It was just at the entrance of this room that something was different. All the lights were closed. This was to be expected. From what the Echani woman said, this facility was largely automated. If the lights were closed, it meant there was no one in the room… or, rather, no one used it for a long time. This was obviously not the case, and so Steve could predict the trap was set just beyond where he was standing. He thought for a moment and decided to look carefully at what laid just underneath of the walkway he was crossing. He hung on to the lip that separated the edge of the walkway from the emptiness and dove his upper body down to take a look underneath. There were tubes of various sizes with a large metal beam that held the walkway up. Just a few meters away, there was a small red light that flashed periodically. It came from a small circular device; it must have been a sensor installed on some sort of grenade. Steve believed it was a stun grenade made to incapacitate anyone. It must have been a very fancy device to be able to work through the thick materials of the walkway. There was obviously someone in the other room that knew what he/she was doing.

Steve held on to one of the tubes and held on as tightly as he could while he slipped off the lip to hang directly underneath the walkway. When he was hanging on tightly enough, he released one of his hands and grabbed a large wire that went right by the grenade. He pulled on it lightly, at fist, to make sure it made no noise. When it was safe enough to pull it harder, he pulled enough of the wire to create a little slack in it. With that amount of slack, he could swing it around the grenade and move it a little. Hopefully, it would be enough to unhook the grenade. Most importantly, he hoped it wouldn't set it off. He was hoping it was only sensitive to life signs. If it were a normal grenade, he would never have even tried this because any other grenade could be used on more that just life forms. Since this was made to stun people, it must have had been trigger by life signs. When he pushed it off the walkway, it didn't activate. He exhaled the stressful breath he had taken before doing this. When he was calm enough, he started using the tubes to move underneath the walkway, just like a monkey swung from branch to branch. He tried his best not to make any sound. He got into the main room from underneath. No one could hear or see him. It was a perfect stunt. From the middle of the room, the wires and tubes diverged in many different directions. Steve took the route that lead the farthest to the opposite side of the room, not knowing exactly where the ambush would be waiting from. When he reached the other side, he started pulling himself up the lip. At first, he did it just enough to peak into the room with only his eyes.

He noticed a figure crouched in the shadow not far from the entrance the grenade had been at. This person was just waiting for the thing to set off. Steve continued pulling himself up until he was safely on the surface. Then he got up and made absolutely no noise sneaking up behind the red headed woman crouched in the shadow. He got as close as he could and inspected the person as best he could, trying to find a way he could successfully unarm her. She was a bounty huntress by the looks of it. She had a blaster ready in one hand, and she wore a large wristband on each arm. No doubt, she had other weapons hidden in them. Even if he could manage to get the blaster away from her, she would surely regain the upper hand with another weapon. He gave it serious thought, trying to find a weakness, and then he finally gave up. He sat down quietly behind her and whispered to her:

"Who are you?" The woman spun around in a flash and held her blaster at the side of his temple. Steve had his arms up in surrender. The lights suddenly came on and another woman walked in the room. It was one of the Echani women… a survivor. She must have been the fourth of them judging by where she had been shot by the droid. She must have been hit in the lung, just under the breast and survived it. She walked in the room with a cold look in her eyes. The bounty huntress stood up and lifted Steve up with the gun still pointed at him. She held him tightly with her forearm. The handmaiden had a bag in her hand. She set the bag on the floor in front of Steve and searched the contents of it and said:

"Thank you Mira, good work." The fourth handmaiden pulled out a small syringe from the bag and stood up tall. An instance later, she was pumping its contents into Steve's neck.

"Is that the stuff I sold you?" Mira asked the handmaiden.

"Yes it is." She affirmed.

"That's a lethal dose! You said there would be no killing!" The bounty huntress was upset. She must have been told a different plan… a lie.

"You said you didn't kill your hunt and you're not… I am." The Echani spat.

"That wasn't the deal!" Mira yelled.

"What are you going to do about it?" The Echani asked. Mira pointed the blaster from Steve's head to the other woman.

"Girls STOP!" Steve yelled.

"If I'm about to die here, the last thing I want is for you two to kill each other over my dead body! Echani your sister is here… don't screw this up. She's the only family you have left, and she loves you. When she gets down here, don't do anything stupid…" Steve said before collapsing to the ground. Mira helped slow his descent, and, the moment he hit the floor, she let go of him. She took out a capsule from within her wristband and opened it. Inside the metal capsule, there was a syringe.

"What are you doing?" The Echani asked.

"I'm the one who sold you that poison: you think I would be stupid enough to run around without the antidote?" She said annoyed before injecting it at the same spot the other one had penetrated.

"How dare you interfere with my plans?" The Echani was angry.

"You broke the deal, now I'm making a new one." Mira answered.

"You're making a mistake: his friend is here, waiting just outside. You won't make it out of here alive." The Echani said plainly.

"What, your sister? You think I'm afraid of her?" Mira laughed.

"No, not my sister… someone else." The Echani liked being in a position of bargain.

"You didn't mention anyone else!" Mira raised her voice at the same time she stood up. At that moment, Revan entered the room along with the last handmaiden behind her. She held her lightsaber in her hand but didn't turn it on.

"Step away from him, and no one will be hurt." She ordered. Mira knew how to recognize a Jedi, and, for some reason, this one seemed familiar to her. She couldn't put a name to that face, but she knew better than to attempt herself against a Jedi. She did what she was told and stepped away form Steve. Soon later, the fourth handmaiden did the same. Revan walked to the man on the floor and crouched over him to look into his eyes. He couldn't move his body, but he could look back at Revan. When he regained control of his face, he smiled and said:

"Hello again." Revan and the Echani then turned their attention to his attackers.

"Hello sister, I'm home. These are my friends. I told them they can live here with us. I didn't think that would be a problem…" The last of the handmaidens said sarcastically.

"I'm glad you're still alive, sister. We have so much to say to each other…" The last of them continued.

"What makes you think any of you are welcome here?" The fourth Echani countered.

"Please sister, we're not your enemy. We know you had no choice, we know you had to obey Atris. It's over sister, we are free now. Atris forgave Revan, those were her last words." The younger Echani said.

"Why should I believe you? You betrayed her!" The older handmaiden accused.

"NO. Atris betrayed you!" Steve managed to say aloud.

"She's been keeping her duty a secret from you, she wasn't building a Jedi academy here. She betrayed the Jedi; she lost control of herself. She couldn't tell you what she was really doing because she knew you wouldn't let her continue her work." Revan continued for Steve.

"She was working with Sith holocrons, sister, and she fell to the… she was influenced by them." The last handmaiden rephrased.

"They're all over in her meditation room. That's why she didn't allow us to go in there. Go see for yourself." She continued.

"I've been there already; I've seen things in there, but they don't mean anything to me. I was more concerned with the body of our mistress, the one you left dead on the floor!" Her older sister said.

"We had to leave: Steve was dying, and I needed to be treated as well. Please sister, give us a chance to convince you. We are sister; we need to stick together. Let me help you understand." The last handmaiden pleaded.

"Alright." Her sister finally said. The two sisters moved closer to each other and were heading to talk some more in the next room.

"Wait! Haven't you forgotten something? My payment perhaps?" Mira said loudly.

The older handmaiden stormed out of the room and soon returned with a few credit sticks. She went straight to the bounty huntress and threw them in her face. Mira picked them up off the floor, keeping her cool, and, when the two sisters left the room, she turned her attention to Revan.

"How about a little extra credits from you?" She asked with a serious face. Revan just stared straight at her face for a moment but didn't say anything. She was thinking.

"I know who you are, REVAN, and I know where you live, who you care for… How much money do you think that's worth to so many people around the galaxy?" Mira said seriously.

"You have a lot of guts to speak like this to me." Revan said plainly, but she didn't mean it as a threat: she was merely stating an observation.

"If you thought it was a good idea to kill me, you would have done it already. Good move on your part… even dead, I can cause a lot of trouble for you. But now… now I want something from this." Mira thought Revan's comment was like a bluff, and, as such, she called it.

"What do you want Mira… What do you really want?" Steve entered in the conversation. Mira turned her attention to the man who was now sitting up.

"I want what the both of you seem to want… I want this place. My business can improve so much with a place like this… with a place that I can consider sanctuary. No one can find me here." Mira said straight.

"You want to live here with us?" Steve didn't know if she meant she wanted to claim it for herself or to share it.

"Exactly." She confirmed.

"That's reasonable… but that decision doesn't lie with us." Revan explained.

"Well, if you know what's good for you, you'll make sure I get a spot here." Mira said to Revan.

"I'll see what I can do." Revan said.

"You know you'll have to TRY and get along with everyone right? The Echani woman included. Are you sure you're willing to do this?" Steve asked seriously.

"I'm not the kind of woman who holds grudges forever. I'll be fine." Mira answered.

"That's good to hear. Thanks for the antidote by the way." Steve said before he finally stood up beside Revan.

"Hey, no problem… just like I expected, you were worth more alive than dead. Consider your debt paid." She said with a smirk on her face. Steve shook his head and said:

"If we are going to live together, I suggest you at least pretend like you respect us." Steve said, offended by her attitude.

"Hey, I meant not offence. Business is business, you know." Mira said defensively.

"I'm not sure I like your line of work, but I'm willing to look past that if you're willing to show some respect." Steve offered in disappointment.

"You know what? I think I like you already. I don't think there'll be much trouble between us." Mira smirked.

"I'm not sure you'll get the same from that Echani woman though. You better watch yourself around her." Mira said.

"Yeah, I bet… I've already been through her idea of hospitality, and I'm not interested in getting on her nerves." Steve said.

"I donno what went on between the two of you, but I'm sure it wasn't pretty… he he… I bet I have a better chance at getting along with her than you do!" Mira was amused by this situation. That Echani woman wanted him dead. She had told Mira that Steve was responsible for the deaths of her sisters. Now that Mira knew who Steve was and had an idea of what he was like, she didn't think it was all true, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that the Echani handmaiden believed it, and that made this living situation very amusing. It was going to be a madhouse.

"I'll take that bet." Steve said with somewhat of a serious look. Revan and Mira looked at him confused.

"No, really, I have no intention of going on without fixing whatever issue she has with me. I'm not going let her think I'm someone I'm not. Not if I can help it." Steve explained.

"Brave… but foolish. She doesn't care a thing for you." Mira said with a more serious tone.

"You're wrong about her." Steve said.

"If you say so. Just as long as you pull your head out of the krayth dragon's mouth before it snaps!" Mira smirked. Steve couldn't help but laugh at her expression: it was so appropriate for this situation. Revan was too concerned to laugh, but she did smile. She had every confidence in Steve, but it was still dangerous.

"Alright, let's go talk to the sisters about our deal." Revan said.

The room the sisters went in was the dining room. I was built very large to accommodate at least two-dozen people. There were four tables spread apart from each other as much as they were away from the walls. In the middle of the two farthest tables, there was a passage to the kitchen. The two women were conversing on the table to the left of the kitchen doors. It looked as though the young handmaiden was successful in convincing her older sister. She was, after all, closer to this sister than the rest. This was why this one hadn't helped her sisters when they were attacking the last of them. Still, that was all she was willing to do for her. Steve's only hope was for the sisters to get along. He was already friends with the younger one; that would help him a lot to gain influence on the other one. Revan, Steve and Mira sat at the large table to see how things were going.

"What is SHE doing here?" The older sister said while pointing at Mira.

"Actually, that's what we're here to talk about." Revan began.

"She got what she came for. What does she want now?" The fourth Echani said.

"She wants to live here with us… all of us." Revan explained.

"UNBELIEVABLE! You can't take a hint can you?" The older Echani yelled at Mira.

"Listen, we have enough problems as it is. We need to arrange this now. It may seem hard to believe, but Mira will be more trouble away from us than with us. Tell her Mira, tell her you're going to behave yourself around her." Revan said.

"It's true; I'm not here for trouble. This is the only way we can all get what we want." Mira confirmed.

"You scum! I should never have hired you. You were useless anyway! What gives you the right to enter my home like this?" She yelled.

"Please, just stop your shouting. This is our problem, our responsibility. We won't force you to accept this proposal. Whatever you decide… we will honor it. I just want you to know how important this place is to us all. This has nothing to do with Mira; she was just doing… her job. Now, it's a different matter. We have to decide if we can all work together. If you allow us all to stay, I guarantee you none of us will cause you any trouble. In fact, if there's anything you need help with, we will offer our assistance." Steve proposed, looking at Revan for her approval to make the promise to the Echani woman.

"I have nothing left but this place and my sister, all because of you. I'm not stupid though: I know Revan meant a great deal to Atris, otherwise she never would have been so angry with her. I don't care what kind of trouble you are trying to escape by coming here, but know this: Atris was supposed to have built this place for the Jedi… or so she said. Technically, Revan has as much right to be here as we do. I'm not going to deny you this place; that was the last mistake Atris made… Just stay out of my way." The furious woman said.

"Thank you." Steve said. The woman left the room.

"That went well." Mira said.

"If you will follow me, I'll show you to your rooms." The Echani woman said.

The young handmaiden led everyone to the main training room and moved to the left side of it. There was a small hallway there with rooms on either side. In total, there were six rooms.

"Why are the rooms so close to the training room?" Steve asked curiously.

"It is customary for our kind to wake at the sound of battle." The woman answered.

"Ah." Steve understood.

"The first two rooms on the left belong to my sister and I. You can share the other rooms as you see fit." She said seriously.

"I guess we each have a room, and, when Bastila comes, we'll have a room for her too." Steve said.

"Actually, the room at the end of the hall, on the right, doesn't have a bed anymore… we use it for storage… weapons storage." The Echani clarified.

"Oh. Well, in that case, Bastila will have to take my room. Revan and I will share a room… right Revan?" Steve asked.

"Of course my love. I wouldn't have it any other way. If I recall correctly, you're the one that wanted to sleep on the other bed in the Hawk…" Revan smiled. She almost forgot she had an audience. She could feel it made Steve a little humiliated.

"You know I can't sleep well when I'm not alone… but I'll get used to it. It's just that I move a lot in my sleep, and I don't want to wake…" Steve started but was silenced by the finger Revan placed on his lips.

"I know baby. You don't have to explain it to me. I'll take good care of you; you'll sleep like a baby in my arms, I promise. What kind of hero would I be if I couldn't even make the man I love comfortable sleeping with me?" She said before pressing her lips against his and moving closer to his body as she caressed him with her hands and chest in a tight embrace. The two spectators were too interested to look away in politeness. It was not every day they could see a love like this… a love so pure. Besides, they would soon get use to this kind of display since they all lived together now. They would be aware of everything that went on in that small hallway. It didn't bother them. In fact, they all felt happy for the couple as they watched in envy. It didn't bother any of them that he was the youngest one in the facility. He was a man nonetheless… a great man. Even Mira could see this of him. Steve had an effect on the wise, it seemed.

"We'll take this room." Revan said as she lightly kicked the door that was just beside them. It was the first room to the right.

"We still have to get the Hawk in the hangar, if you don't mind." Revan said to the handmaiden. The woman was still smiling at the couple.

"Of course, follow me." She answered. She led Mira and the couple to the hangar bay control center. It seemed Mira had landed a small fighter in the middle of the hanger and had to move it to make room for the Hawk. When the vessels were secured in the hanger, the handmaiden raised the camouflage shield back up and invited everyone back to the dining room to offer an evening meal.

"You must all be hungry, I'll make you something nice." The Echani said as she disappeared into the kitchen. The rest of them sat at the table.

"Well, at least I know I can get along with that Echani. Hehe, I don't meet many people who would cook for me." Mira said.

"She's nice. And she's quiet. You'll like her." Steve said.

"Who are you anyway? _Steve_… I haven't heard anything about you." Mira asked curiously.

"Should I be giving you a reason to know who I am? Are you going to tell anyone if I tell you?" Steve teased her.

"Hey! I may know a lot about the bounties on people's heads, but I _never _collect on anyone I think isn't scum." Mira said, defending her professional position.

"Don't you think that's a little risky? I mean, aren't you afraid of making mistakes… how do you know who to trust?" Steve asked.

"I have my ways. Besides, I don't trust anyone; I usually have to find the truth for myself." Mira answered.

"That's unusual for someone in your line of work. Doesn't it make your job so much more complicated?" Steve asked.

"Sure it does, but I'm good at it. I get a lot of business because I'm one of the best. Anyone can find out how I do my job, so whoever hires me has to know my rules. That's why I don't usually have problems doing my work." Mira said.

"So that's how you make sure you can have at least some trust in your employers; by setting rules?" Steve continued.

"Yes. Now are you going to answer the question or are you going to continue avoiding it for the rest of the night?" Mira said sarcastically.

"There isn't much to say really. I just got here not too long ago, so it's not like I had time to piss too many people off." He said sarcastically.

"Well, I guess you had bad luck with the Echani then because she seemed pretty pissed to me." Mira teased. Just then, the last handmaiden walked out of the kitchen with a big platter of steaming vegetables on a rice-like cereal. Everyone dug into the food except Steve, of course.

"Aren't you going to eat something, Steve?" Mira asked while sticking her fork in the plate.

"He can't…" Revan said before Steve could answer.

"What is he, on a special diet or something? Are you trying to make him leaner than he already is, Revan?" Mira laughed, but no one else did.

"No, he can't eat anything at all or he'll die… His system was badly damaged when my mistress… attacked him." The handmaiden said completing what Revan couldn't.

"So, what? Is everyone trying to kill you or something?" Mira said in a more serious way, realizing it wasn't a pleasant subject to anyone else.

"Let's just say I didn't get a very good start at things here… If I didn't get help from Revan and Bastila and the Handmaiden… my life span in this section of the galaxy would have been shorter than that of a mosquito." Steve exaggerated a bit to bring back some smiles in the room.

"Who's Bastila?" Mira asked.

"Bastila Shan… the Jedi. Don't tell me you haven't heard of her." Revan said.

"Oh, Bastila Shan, yes I heard of her. So you need the Jedi to protect you now?" Mira was teasing again.

"If I had to give her a credit for every time she saved my life and Revan's life, she would be the richest Jedi in the galaxy." Steve was being playful.

"You're not joking… you really DO need protection? How come everyone is after you and I don't even know of one _Steve _on my list." Mira said more seriously.

"It's not like that; it's just that I happen to be around trouble a lot. Everyone seems to think of me as a barrier between them and Revan… so you see where that leaves me." Steve said playfully again.

"So you were trying to protect Revan when Atris attacked?" Mira asked.

"No… Revan doesn't need my protection… What Atris did was another story." Steve said.

"You could say that Steve was an obstacle in that case too, but Atris didn't want to get to me physically… only emotionally." Revan added.

"Ohhh. She did it because you love him?" Mira remembered their display of affection in the hallway and got the point.

"She did." Revan said simply.

"You guys must have been through a lot… and you say you just got here? Sheesh. I'm lucky you're not my boyfriend." Mira teased and everyone laughed.

"I need to take a shower, and then I'll prepare for sleep. I'll see you all in the morning." Steve said.

"Wait! Do you know where the shower room is?" The handmaiden asked.

"Yes, I've been there before… I think I remember how to get there." He said, remembering the painful stay he endured here previously.

"I thought you guys are new here." Mira said.

"Well… we were here before, but I think Steve got to see more rooms than the rest of us…He had a more extensive stay than we did." Revan said a little trouble of the thoughts that entered her mind.

"He was brought here for torture for a few days until Revan and Basila… and I… came to rescue him." The handmaiden filled in the harsh details that Revan wouldn't give away.

"A few days… Sheesh! Even I don't torture people, and I deal with the worst scum in the galaxy… was that before Atris injured him?" Mira asked the handmaiden.

"… The… the torture was in addition to his wound…" She confessed.

"Revan, you must be worth a fortune on the market! I can't believe how many enemies you have!" Mira was dead serious now, and she felt very sympathetic to their situation. She knew what it was like to be hunted, she was after all, a bounty huntress… but what she didn't know was what it felt like to have so many people hunt… and torture the one you loved.

"Now you know why it's so important that we stay sheltered here, where no one can find us." Revan said equally as serious.

"I'm sorry. I had no idea…" Mira said.

"What are you guys going to do tomorrow?" Mira asked.

"I'm going away for a while… I have some things to take care of… Sith business. There are so many things that were left unfinished. I'm also going to need to get some money from them. I'm going to need some to purchase weapons and anything else we may need in the future." Revan said.

"You're going back to the Sith?" The Echani was concerned.

"Yes. For as long as they don't know what to think of me, they are going to cause problems. They need to understand that I wish to be alone once and for all. Even if I'm not around, I can still control them. I have some countermeasures: people I need to entrust to keep things in order around there. They will keep things together in my name, and that will insure peace. I'll leave early in the morning. It will take close to a week. Watch over Steve for me will you? I'm going to sleep. I have a lot to do tomorrow." Revan said before she left the table.

"Is this woman for real?" Mira asked.

"I'm afraid so." The Echani woman answered.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6. The Dragon's Mouth

Early in the morning, Steve woke up with the warmth of Revan's kiss. The woman was all dressed up and ready to leave. She had moved all of the Sith holocrons onboard the Ebon Hawk. She wore the robes and armor of the dark lord she had been. All that was left was the mask she held in her hand. She wanted to say goodbye before she left. Steve quickly jumped into his outfit and followed her to the ship. The younger Echani woman was already up and exercising in the training room. When she saw that Revan was ready to leave, she followed her and Steve to the ship. Once at the hanger, the Echani went up to the control room while Revan and Steve boarded the ship. Steve helped get the Ebon Hawk ready and gave Revan a big hug before exiting the ship and going up to join the Echani in the control room. The handmaiden lowered the shield, and the Hawk blasted into the air and rocketed past the clouds.

"What am I supposed to do until she gets back?" Steve asked the woman.

"You can do whatever you like." The Echani answered the question that wasn't really directed at anyone.

"Really? Aren't you going to need help with… stuff?" Steve knew there was a lot of work to do in any facility, even if it was largely automated.

"If I need your help, I'll ask." The woman smiled.

"It's a deal. Just don't be shy to ask." Steve smiled back.

Steve went back down to his room but saw that the other sister was using the training room now. She was exercising much like her younger sister had been. Steve approached her slowly and said:

"Would it be possible for you to teach me how to fight?" He knew he would prefer to learn from the other sister, but she was so busy. For some reason, it was the younger Echani who was doing all the housework. She didn't look like she minded, but it was still curious how they had made this arrangement without having said a word. Besides, this would be a good opportunity to learn more of this woman and vise versa.

"I don't think you'll ever learn how to fight like an Echani." She replied.

"I didn't say I wanted to learn how to fight like an Echani, I said I wanted to learn how to fight." Steve said plainly before turning back the way he had come from, knowing this woman wasn't interested.

"Wait. I can't teach you how to fight like we can, but I can teach you a few lessons." She said after finally pausing from her exercise. Steve turned around and approached the woman again.

"As a first rule, you must fight without your clothes, armor or weapons. You may keep only your underwear." The woman said while disrobing herself. Steve soon did what he was instructed to do and tossed his suit, just as the Echani did, on the side of the large mattress that covered the training room. He had to wait until the Echani was finished with her clothes. He had nothing else to do but look at her. When she was done, she said:

"The second rule is: you do not hit to wound. Anything more than bruising will not be tolerated. You break this rule, and I will break you. Is that clear? Are you even listening to me?" Steve couldn't help but remember what she looked like naked. Though he was barely conscious then, he was still very curious how the Echani looked compared to the humans of his planet. There were very few differences. As he has expected, the hairs that covered their bodies were all short and of a rich white color. The Echani were also slim. Considering all the training they did, he expected them to be very muscular. Though these women seemed very healthy, they didn't look particularly muscular. However, they were much stronger than they looked; they were not to be judged by their size. If they lived back on his planet, they would make great athletes: they were light and strong, which made them excessively fast and agile. This Echani looked a little different now than she did that day in the shower. She was more focused now, more determined. She looked even sadder than before. Also, she wore the mark of someone who had escaped death, much like Steve did: just under her bra, there was a blackened scar that portrayed the entry point of the energy bolt that was fired into her beautiful white skin. It was terrible to see such an awful scar on an otherwise healthy woman. No one deserved to be shot that day. Not even her sisters. It was clear there was no other alternative though: HK-47 was not built to make a wise decision concerning the value of this woman's life, not like Steve could. If he had it his way, he would most probably die rather than sacrifice the Echani's lives in his rescue. Having known he would have felt this way before, he never would have allowed Revan to come after him at all. Either way, his decision was going to cause pain to people, and it was very hard to bear it. This is what he truly wished for this handmaiden to know.

"I'm sorry… I was distracted. I heard you though. I won't hit to injure, I promise." Steve said seriously after finally looking her in the eyes.

"Try to focus, we are about to begin. The last rule is to stay on the mattress." The Echani was annoyed. Steve raised his arms in a position to protect his upper body and moved slowly towards the woman. The handmaiden stretched apart her legs and extended her arms outward, lowering herself in a balanced position. When Steve was close enough, she jumped up and spun her legs trough the air in a rapid spiral. Steve moved back to avoid the kicks, and, before he could try and move back close to her, she was already getting prepared for another attack. She had very strong legs that made her capable of almost floating in the air as she quickly unleashed a series of lunging kicks. Steve couldn't just keep backing up to avoid the kicks because he saw the gap between him and the end of the mattress getting smaller by the second. He tried blocking the kicks with his forearms and stepping sideways when he could. As he quickly discovered, it was very painful to block the kicks with his arms. When he saw kicks that were coming too fast, he figured it would be best to attempt to move away instead of blocking them. He wasn't fast enough though: the kicks caught up to him and landed on his side as he was strafing away. After the second kick landed, the woman stepped forward and lifted he right knee up to Steve's stomach. Because he was expecting it, Steve caught it with both of his hands, but that left his upper body vulnerable to the Echani's quick strikes of her fists. The first fist landed on his abdomen, and, as he tipped forward reflexively, the second fist intercepted the side of his face in an uppercut. It wasn't powerful enough to send him backwards. As the Echani said, it wasn't meant to inflict damage. It was enough to stun him though: while his face was turning away with the outgoing fist, the woman used her torso to continue the impulse of the punch while she followed her body's motion with her right leg. Her leg reached behind him, far enough to wrap him around with it. Steve tripped down on his back as the Ecahni pulled her leg back towards her. Steve acted on instinct and got back up very quickly, but the woman was standing so very close. He stood no chance. He tried pushing her back to make room for him to see what the rest of the woman's body was up to. As he extended his arms in a powerful push, the handmaiden caught one of his arms with one hand around his wrist and the other locking it at the shoulder. She used his momentum to hurl him forward with her, and, when they were both moving at a synchronized pace, she lowered herself in state she had started in, both legs stretched far apart, and pulled the man over her and guided him down to slam against the mat. She kept holding his arm in a very powerful lock as she moved on his back to prevent him from getting back up. She crouched over him with both her legs distributing her weight on his back and bent his arm towards his head until his shoulder joint completely seized. At that point, she only needed one hand to keep it there. She used her other hand to press his face down, squeezing his cheek on the rugged mat. She held him there with an angry look on her face.

"What the hell are you doing? Get off him!" Mira yelled as she was running down the hallway of her room. She just woke up from all the noise and felt compelled to see what the ruckus was all about. She didn't like what she saw and immediately intervened.

"It was his idea." The Echani woman said as she was releasing the man from her inescapable lock. The woman quickly disappeared in one of the rooms that were surrounding the training room after picking up her clothes from the side of the mat. Steve got up, stretched his arm out and rolled his shoulder a few times to ease the pain. When he saw the frustrated look on Mira, he stopped moving completely.

"Can I speak to you alone for a moment?" She said loudly, and she dragged Steve into the narrow hallway she had rushed through. Steve picked up his suit on his way, and, when they were a good distance in the hall, Mira pushed him against the wall.

"Are you crazy or something? Are you purposely trying to get hurt? When are you going to get it through your head that that woman doesn't like you?" Mira was a little mad.

"I was just trying to learn how to fight." Steve said defensively.

"You think she's trying to teach you how to fight? Ha! She doesn't care about that! Don't you understand what she is doing? She's only doing it so she can hurt you. I've seen sadistic people like that before, trust me, all she wants it to beat the shit out of you!" Mira said loudly.

"You're wrong about her. Believe me; she knows of much more creative ways… and more efficient ways to do that. If she wanted to hurt me, she would do it some other way. This is how they fight… She's Echani, she's trying to communicate something through her fighting… that's what they do! This is the best chance I have of making myself understood." Steve explained. He couldn't help but feel ashamed in this situation. He didn't have a reason to be ashamed though: he really thought that was his best chance. But being scolded by and older woman, and an intimidating one at that, was enough to make him feel like a child again. Mira was a killer and a good one too, but she was also wise: she knew what she was talking about. Steve knew the Echani would love to hurt him, but there was more to it than that: there was something that was being said in that battle, and he wanted to know what it was.

"There are plenty of other ways to communicate things to her. Why don't you just pick a way that doesn't end up crushing your bones on that mat?" Mira said in concern.

"Believe me, if there was another way to do it, I would. This is how things are done around here… it's like they say: when in Rome…" Steve said.

"What?" Mira asked.

"When in Rome, do as the Romans… Never mind, it's just an expression." Steve answered.

"You do what you want. You want to get yourself hurt? That's fine. But just keep it in mind that I won't always be there to help you." Mira shook her head in disappointment before she turned around to get back in her room.

"Wait! Mira… what difference does it make to you? I mean why did you get mad at me?" Steve said.

"You and Revan are the only ones that are keeping me here: if something happens to you, I may as well be packing my bags right now because I'm not staying here alone with that crazy man-hating woman." Mira said defensively.

"No. Revan knows I'm taking full responsibility for my actions here. She wouldn't blame the Echani if something happened to me… I wouldn't let her blame anyone else than me. There has to be another reason for you to get upset like that. Tell me the truth." Steve pleaded.

"What do you want me to say? I care about you? I like you? I think you're a nice man, and I'd like it if you stayed in one piece. Does that answer your question? I mean, if I you get yourself killed, who else am I going to be friends with?" Mira admitted before retiring in her room. Steve was happy with her answer. He still didn't trust her completely because, as a bounty huntress, Mira was made to be deceitful. If it weren't for that small doubt, he would be very happy. He was capable of setting his doubt aside and of giving Mira all the credit she probably deserved, but he preferred to play it safe. He chose caution when thinking of what her real motives are, but it didn't keep him from being happy about her attitude towards him. Even if Mira was trying to deceive him in some sort of creative ruse, some of what she said had to be true, and that was all he needed to hear.

Steve looked at his suit and then at the sweat that covered his body. He decided to head straight to the shower room. It was a square room with six showerheads spread across three walls. Just outside of that room, there was a small changing room. When he was done, he got dressed and left the changing room. Just outside that room, the fifth handmaiden was leaning against the wall.

"There you are. I've been waiting for you. I need your help with something. Mira is waiting for us. Come on let's go." She said as she showed Steve the way. She brought him to the hangar bay where Mira was.

"I've just discovered something this morning, let me show you." She brought him closer to where the bounty huntress was. At Mira's feet, there was some sort of bending in the floor's surface.

"Look. We haven't had any problems like this before, but I think it's because this place wasn't meant to house a big ship like the Hawk. This material can't support that much weight. Our floor is ruined now. Luckily, we have large plastisteel sheets that we can use to cover the whole deck. They're all stored at the lower levels of this facility. I'd like it if you can help us install them." The handmaiden explained.

"Sure, I can help. How long do you think it'll take?" Steve asked.

"Actually, first we have to get rid of the old tiles before we install the new ones. We also have to fill in the print the Hawk left in a few places. After that, the new tiles have to be welded together and stapled onto the foundation. The whole thing can take a very long time to complete. I don't think we can complete it before Revan gets back, but we still need to hurry. We can't leave the large vessel on the surface for too long or people may detect it…" The handmaiden said.

"I understand. I'll help as much as I can." Steve replied.

"Excellent, let's get started." The Echani said. This was going to be a big job, but Steve didn't mind the company. He grabbed a tool that looked like a crowbar and helped remove the small tiles that covered the surface of the hangar bay. Not far away, Mira was doing the same thing. The Handmaiden was taking care of disposing of them as Steve and Mira were pulling them off the floor.

"That's a nice little ship you have, Mira." Steve started a conversation.

"What kind of weapons does it have?" He continued.

"It comes standard with mini-turbolasers and two missile banks, but I added a few surprises on it." Mira smirked.

"I bet. Kind of like your armbands right? What do you have in them anyway? Other than antidotes." He asked.

"A bunch of things. I have a mini-rocket launcher in the right one. I can use it to project darts and rockets. It also has a harpoon launcher and a miniature torch. In my left armband, I have a mini computer with a folding display. I don't go anywhere without it. I use it to store all the information I can ever need on the job. I got maps, picture files of every bounty out there… always up-to-date. And it also contains detailed instructions for the use of various objects like: weapons, vehicles, fighters, cruisers. Oh, and It has a computer interface with advanced slicing capabilities." Mira was proud of her gadgets.

"Can it play music?" Steve joked.

"Hehehe. Unfortunately… no." She laughed.

"Mira… I was wondering… Were you serious about being friends with me?" He asked honestly.

"Of course I was. Why would I lie about that?" She smiled.

"I don't know. I don't pretend to know much about you. I can't know what your motives are." Steve said.

"I can't say I trust you either." She replied.

"I guess not. Still… I want to trust you… I really do. I'm just afraid that, one day… you'll choose your business over friendship… Am I paranoid or do I have good reason to be afraid?" He said in a low tone.

"How am I supposed to answer that?" Mira asked seriously, not too offended.

"It's a question of personality really. I want to know if you're honest… so far I like what I see, but you never know." Steve paused from his work to concentrate more on the conversation.

"You want to know what kind of person I am? Alright… I'm not the kind of person that chooses her work over friendship… Satisfied?"

"Alright, but are you the kind of person that would choose her work over me?" He asked specifically in case Mira was speaking between the lines.

"Ah, now you're asking the right question. Ask me again sometime if you're still not sure. I'd rather if you found that answer out for yourself." Mira smirked. Steve smiled, as he understood that this was as friendly as Mira would get at this time. That meant she was trying her best to become friends with him. The three of them worked hard until midday while the fourth handmaiden was doing god-knows-what. The two women he was working with broke out for lunch while he retired to Revan's room and fed himself the only way he could. Not long after he was set up, Mira came knocking at the door. She invited him to join them in the dining room. He had nothing else to do while his blood was mixing in the pouch so he gladly accepted the invitation. As he sat down with his friends, he noticed the fourth Echani handmaiden was not there… again.

"Where is your sister? How come she never eats with us?" He asked the all-white woman.

"She has different eating habits than we do. She prefers to eat many small meals per day rather than three big ones. It just so happens that she ate not long ago, and now she doesn't need to be here anymore." She answered.

"What does she do all day anyway?" Mira asked.

"My sister has been very… upset lately. As have I. She's finding much harder to deal with our sisters' deaths than I am… She spends her time alone now. It's better if we let her mourn the deaths of our sisters in privacy." She answered.

"I can't imagine how terrible it must be to lose so many relatives at the same time. Still, I don't think that being alone will solve anything. Why don't you talk to her after lunch? Mira and I will take care of the hangar. Just go see if you can cheer her up a little. You're the only one that can do it…" Steve observed.

"I don't like seeing her that way either, but there isn't anything I can say that will make things better." The Echani said sadly.

"You have to convince her she's not alone. That's all that matters. Take her up to the surface or something. Get some fresh air. You need to show her that life goes on, that the world hasn't stopped. As I'm sure she does, I wish none of this had happened. But now that it did, we have to be able to see the good things that came out of it. She may not value her freedom as I do, but she can still understand what it means. Tell her to forget about the past and think of all she can do now and in the future. She can do anything she wants." Steve tried to motivate this woman to console her sister, to give her positive thoughts.

"I'll give it a try, but it doesn't mean she'll help us fix the bay's floor…" The Echani started.

"I really don't care about that. Your sister can spend her time as she pleases as long as it's not making her unhappy for nothing." Steve said sincerely.

"Alright, I'll go see her after lunch." The white woman said.

"Great!" Steve was pleased.

"I'm sure that'll make things so much easier for you, _Steve._" Mira said sarcastically.

"It'll be better for _us._" Steve clarified.

"And what do you think she'll want to spend her time doing if not to spend it finding ways to avenge her sisters' deaths?" Mira asked frankly.

"What are you guys talking about?" The handmaiden was concerned.

"Steve and I have a little bet going on about your sister's intentions. I keep warning him she's too much trouble for him to handle, but he won't listen." Mira said to the white woman.

"Who says she wasn't thinking about revenge from the beginning now… I mean, that's why you're here now isn't it? If she hasn't done something by now, it's because she isn't planning anything." Steve said to Mira.

"Right? Revenge isn't your kind's only resolve right? She isn't all that interested in that anymore right?" Steve directed his question at the Echani woman.

"We aren't known to… well actually it really depends on the person. I was certain Atris wasn't the kind to resort to revenge. And my sisters… well they usually follow Atris as an example to us all…" She couldn't really give a straight answer.

"So you're saying you're not sure if she wants me dead or not?" Steve was concerned.

"I… I really doubt she would jeopardize anything just to… to kill you." She said honestly.

"Alright. You see? When she cheers up, we should get along just fine." Steve said sarcastically. Mira laughed but didn't push the subject any farther.

After lunch, Mira went back to work and the handmaiden went to speak to her sister. Steve was still in the process of recycling his blood and returned to Revan's room to lie down until it was complete. When it was done, he switched the robe for his suit and marched to the hangar. He and Mira worked all afternoon without taking a break. Steve felt he had to work until the Handmaidens' situation was resolved. They must have been talking for hours and hours. It was a very good thing though; it meant the younger Echani wasn't about to give up on her sister. Working long hours was the least he could do for them. He was surprised Mira was pitching in just as much as he was though. She had no obligation to help. Perhaps it was because she, too, had some kind of guilt she wanted to get rid of. Steve couldn't know for sure. He found it hard to read women's minds. There were only two women in the world he understood enough to read like an open book: Revan and Bastila. He shared his soul with Revan and Bastila was like a child: everything she did was predictable. If she hadn't been a Jedi, it would have been much harder to understand her, but, because of what she was, she had a one-track mind guided by the most basic and straightforward emotional responses. She was just like a kid trapped in a responsible being. It was very charming, but Mira didn't share any of those qualities, which was why she was so hard to understand. She wasn't crazy though. In fact, she was very intelligent. That was the only thing Steve had in common with her, but it was also a source of confusion: Mira was easily smart enough to mask herself completely. There was just no other way to understand her than if she helped him out willfully. They worked very well together though. Time was going by faster than Steve thought it would. It was late though. It was already well into the evening. Mira was starting to get hungry.

"What happens if you don't feed yourself during the day?" Mira asked Steve out of the blue.

"Same thing as if you didn't. Except I don't feel hungry anymore. Instead, I suppose I would just get really exhausted and collapse. I'm sure I could go for a long while though. I still have reserves. Last time I was here, I was able to go four days without eating. Actually, I can't tell how I would have faired if I wasn't in such a bad shape. I suppose I can go without food for longer than that." He answered.

"Ok, so you're not completely useless after all right?" Mira smirked.

"Not quite. Still, I have no wish to be left alone. I have the greatest bodyguard I could ever ask for… I'm not going anywhere without help anyway. Why do you ask?" Steve said.

"Just in case something should happen, that's all." Mira said. At that moment, the young Echani came in the room.

"Thank you for working so long." The Echani started.

"How did it go?" Steve asked.

"She's not so bad. She just doesn't know what to do anymore… I don't even know what to do. It's an awkward situation for all of us." She said.

"True. Has she lightened up a bit? What took so long?" Steve asked.

"I can't say she changed much, but we did speak a lot. She just has too much on her mind." The Echani said.

"What about you? Are you all right?" Steve asked seriously.

"Me? I'll be fine…" She said, but Steve wasn't convinced.

"I need to speak with you in private." Steve said. The woman nodded and followed him to the corner of the hangar bay.

"You can't fool me, Echani." He started.

"How can you expect to convince your sister everything will be all right if you don't believe it yourself? If there is one thing I don't like about you, it's that you don't respect yourself! It would mean so much to me if you only told me your name." Steve pleaded.

"My name is of no importance. I represent and serve my kind… That is all you need to…" She said in a fluctuating tone before Steve interrupted her:

"Don't give me that crap! You may be an Echani, but, above all, you're a person! A unique individual… and, as such, you have characteristics that belong only to you. If you continue to refuse to give me your name it means you make yourself believe you are nothing special… that you hold no influence on the events around you. If you believe that, you're brainwashed!" The Echani was about to turn around and leave, but Steve held her hand and kneeled in front of her, begging her to listen:

"You're free, Echani. Don't you understand? You don't need to stay the way you are! You serve no one! YOU MUST BREAK FREE OF THIS BRAINWASHING BULLSHIT! You're my friend! I can't bear to see you like this!" He cried out. The Echani woman was hurt; tears dripped down her cheeks and her eyes irritated her. She pulled her hand away from Steve's soft grip and cried her way her way out of the room. Steve stayed on his knees for many minutes, just trying to calm himself down. Mira just watched from a distance and decided to go speak to the handmaiden; to comfort her and perhaps repair whatever Steve may have done to her. Though Mira didn't believe Steve would intentionally cause the Echani pain, he may have involuntarily stabbed a sensitive nerve.

Mira found the Echani woman in the kitchen, buried in her duties and crying her heart out. The white woman was tearing up the place, throwing food together without a care of the mess she was making. Mira gripped the handmaiden's hand to make her stop her destructive acts.

"Calm down honey… talk to me. Why are you so upset? What did Steve say to you?" Mira asked in a soothing tone. The Echani woman breathed and sniffed erratically and said what she interpreted of what Steve told her:

"He said that I wasn't… I wasn't the Echani I was raised to be… _sniff_ … that I'm not who I am supposed to be."

"I'm sure he didn't mean to say that… you're a great Echani…" Mira started.

"I know what he meant… he's right. I was never a good Echani; I was always… I was always distracted. I wasn't called the last of the handmaiden because I was the youngest… I imagined so many things that I wish were different about my life. I thought about other people and how differently they led their lives. I'm always thinking about things that never concerned me… things that were never going to happen to a person like me. It was as though I was trying to live another life… I AM an Echani, and I do what my people do… But there's a part of me that never belonged… a part of me that, until now, was a thorn at my very being; something that was a constant obstacle to what I was taught to believe was a noble path. I felt like I was never doing anything right… and, now, I don't know what to feel… _sniff _… I don't know what to think! I was always trying to be something I'm not. Steve was right… I don't know what I am anymore." The white woman cried.

Standing at the kitchen's entrance was the fourth handmaiden. She must have overheard the conversation. She left as soon as Mira looked at her. Meanwhile, Steve was in Revan's room. He was upset as well. He had known the moment to give his opinion of the Echani way would come, but he didn't expect it to have such an impact on himself or the woman he was kneeling in front of. He had to say it though. He strongly believed this woman needed to hear it. He cared for her. The whole day tired him, but that final chat had exhausted his mind. He was running through what he said, over and over again, trying to see if there was a better way of saying it, to see if there was a way he could have avoided causing pain… He wanted to forget he needed to say these things. He tucked himself in the cold empty bed and fed himself before falling asleep.

The next morning, he woke up late, just as he usually did. He disconnected the blood pouch from his side and put on his suit. Sleep had done its job. He felt much better now. He exited his room and walked down the small corridor. In the training room, there was the older Echani woman training again. He looked at her for a moment. He thought he should just continue helping the others with the hangar bay floor. As he made his way to the exit, the handmaiden stopped her exercise and called out his name:

"Steve! What do you say we finish what we started yesterday? It's not my style to begin a lesson and not finish it." She said in the usual unfriendly tone she favored when she spoke to him. Steve just stood there, considering it.

"Where are the others?" He asked.

"Working in the hangar. It's just me and you now… what do you say? Or do you fear me?" She said coldly.

"I don't fear you, Echani." Steve said honestly. He paused and looked at the exit that was so close… then he chose.

"Alright. Let's finish what we started." He said. The two of them took their clothes off and made their way to the center of the mattress.

"Same rules." The Echani said before starting her attacks as fast as she could. Even though the woman had started even more aggressively than the previous time, Steve felt more ready this time. He already knew the only way to avoid the kicks was not to fear them. This time, he wasn't about to back away to the end of the mat. He moved swiftly and made the kicks land harmlessly against him. When the gap was closing between them, he got his dukes up and ready to defend his upper body. It went much better then the previous day. He was quickly learning the Echani's attacks and conjuring up some defenses against them. The way he was, he was not a fighter, but he did have the potential. All he was lacking was the flexibility in his legs and the balance to kick the way the Echani did. The way he moved his upper body, however, was worthy of recognition by the woman. He tried to stay on his feet for as long as he could, just trying his best to avoid the hits that were meant for him. Just as when he fought the Cathar on Dantooine, he felt he was improving very fast. It wasn't long before the woman understood what Steve was doing. He was doing the same thing as he did just the day before, only he was getting better at it. She knew what she had to do. When she was close enough, she changed her fighting style from a striking type to a dishabilitating type. Unlike Steve, she didn't use her physical skills to fight, but she used her tactics and experience. It was a flawless thing to do. Steve had only his creativity to help him against the next set of moves. Steve immediately noticed the woman's arms going around his back and her upper body coming in contact with his. He didn't know what to do except try to undo what she was doing: when she moved closer, he moved farther, and, when she put her arms around him, he tried getting them off of him. It worked the first few times. The woman couldn't get a grip on the silky smooth skin of the man she was fighting. _If only he still had hair on his body_… the woman thought. She was trying to find a good place to grab him. Eventually, she was able to press her hand in between two of his ribs and throw him off balance on the leg she set outwards to make him fall over. It worked just as she had hoped, and, before Steve could even land, she hopped onto her other leg and kicked him in the side before he could roll over or get up again. As he was getting back up, she elbowed him on the back and kneed him on the side of the leg to make him collapse back down. It didn't work though; Steve had balanced himself on his other leg and punched off quickly towards the woman to throw her out of the way. The woman backed off only for a split second before noticing another opening that enabled her to strike a very powerful combo against her enemy. As Steve still carried momentum in one direction, the woman set her leg strongly in his path and waited for him to inevitably run into her. When Steve was above her leg, she pulled his upper body onto hers and lifted him over her head with her strong leg as she fell backwards onto the mat. As the move intended, she was the first to land. She used her legs to punch her up to the pivots of her extended arms, sending her upright into a handstand, and flipped back down on top of Steve. She held him underneath her with one leg and used the other one and her fists to strike at him angrily. Steve had nowhere to go; he was trapped. The more he tried to set himself free, the more his efforts were met with aggressiveness. He tried grabbing the woman's legs and lifting her off him, but all she needed to do was kick him in the shoulder or step on his arm to prevent it. He was completely helpless. As she stood above him, the handmaiden could see the bruises that were developing on the man. All she thought of was creating new ones. She wasn't trying to injure him as much as hurt him. Steve thought of minimize the damage by placing his arms in place of where the woman was striking but realized he needed his arms to be in good shape if he was to continue doing the manual labor required of him in the hangar… if he could work at all after. A few minutes later, when the woman tired herself and eventually got bored, she lowered herself to his level and cupped his neck tightly with her arm and held him that way as she decided what to do with him now. She peered into the eyes of the unbelievably calm man underneath her. As he said, he wasn't afraid… He should have been though. She could break his neck right then and there or choke him to death if she wanted to. Somehow, he knew she wouldn't do it. She despised him for it.

"And now you're completely hopeless. Your friends can't help you… we are alone here." She said coldly.

"What are you going to do Echani? Kill me? If you wanted to do that, you would have done it long ago." Steve said calmly.

"Why shouldn't I? You insult me in everything you do… and you insulted my sister." She spat.

"Oh? Have I? Am I really that despicable to you? You can't fool me Echani; I know who you are… just because you look like your other sisters, it doesn't mean I don't see you differently. You're the one who took care of me after your sisters tortured me… You even stood up for me once. Do you expect me to believe you're just like they were?" Steve said.

"Why should I care what you believe? I already know all there is to know about you. I see it in your fighting and it insults me in everyway: You fight me as if I were not a worthy opponent. You cower away and don't fight back. You believe me to be of the weaker sex. Look at where you are now! You are nothing!" She almost shouted.

"You think, just by observing me fight, you know what I think? This isn't a real fight! Your beliefs don't apply to this situation. If I refuse to attack you, it's because I am not here to learn how to. All I want is to learn how to defend myself!" Steve said defensively.

"You lie! You just can't stand being overpowered by every woman you meet!" She said.

"You misunderstand me. I believe no such thing. I love every woman in this facility, including you. Perhaps that hasn't occurred to you before you judged me so." Steve said.

"You lie! You disrespect me and you disrespect our ways! I know what you told my sister! You have no honor!" She yelled as she tightened her grip on him.

"I may know nothing of honor, but I do know much of respect and I KNOW you don't respect yourself as much as you should… nor does your sister. I respect you both more than you possibly know. I just wanted your sister to stop hiding behind her honor and start respecting herself. In fact, respect I why I'm here. I'm mostly here because of you, not because I want to learn how to fight! I want you to respect me. I've done nothing to you! Nothing! You treat me like I was a damn murderer! I'm terribly sorry for what happened to your sisters, but it wasn't like there was much choice in the matter. You think I wanted it to be this way? You think I wanted you to get shot? You don't know me! I hate that stupid droid!" He cried out.

"You would rather it let our sister get killed?" She asked.

"NO! Don't ever say that! I would rather die myself than have you kill each other! I just wanted to help ATRIS! Why did she have to drag you into this! WHY?" Steve was actually crying now, and he couldn't hide his tears away.

"I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" She whispered to him as her eyes were swelling up as well. A few tears dropped onto the weeping man's face. The woman just picked herself up and left the man there, half naked and weeping on the floor like a baby. Before she left the training room, she looked at the pathetic scene, and tears poured down her cheeks. She was not proud at all. The man was trying to lift himself up. He was crouched on his arms and legs now with his face buried in the mattress. He was just building up the courage to stand up. When he did, he just walked away ever so slowly with his face in his hands. He just walked blindly towards the shower room, forgetting to pick up his suit on his way there. The woman just stared at him in shame.

"I hate you." She whispered to herself as she shook her head at left the room for good.

Steve entered the shower and threw his underwear aside. He was incredibly sad. He couldn't stop crying. No one ever hated him before, ever. He couldn't stand it. As the hot water poured the sweat off his bruises, he fell down to his knees holding the wall in front of him with his arms and just wept there.

Mira came back to the bedrooms to look for Steve. She knew he would be up by now, but he didn't show up for work. She looked in Revan's room but found nothing. On her way out of the bedroom hallway, she noticed his suit was lying on the side of the mat. _OH YOU IDIOT_. She thought to herself. She knocked at the door of the room the Echani spent most of her time in, but there was no answer. The door was locked, and she couldn't get in. She thought of picking the lock it but decided to look for Steve herself. She went by the changing room and heard loud cries. She went into the room and walked through the steam. She saw Steve kneeling at the shower foot, naked and bruised, crying more than she had seen anyone cry in a long time... possibly ever. She rushed in there and pulled him out of the water. She sat down beside him and held him in her arms like she would a child. Steve buried his face in her shoulder and just kept crying. She didn't want to say anything to him. She had already told him her opinion previously, and it would only make matters worse to bring it up again. She just looked at him. She noticed the man was mostly hairless and the rare hairs he had looked like they just started to grow. She looked at his bruises and at the skin-graphing on his abdomen and on his back. Then she looked down at his sex. She noticed that his testicles were swollen and that there was some sort of red scar on his penis.

"My poor dear! What happened to you?" She whispered as she rocked the man back and forth to comfort him like she remembered how her mother had done when she was a child. It took almost twenty minutes for him to calm down enough to speak:

"She hates me. She really hates me. Help me Mira! Help me! I can't stand it!" He whispered incoherently. Mira knew it was true. There was nothing she could say about it.

"Why did you do it? She could have killed you!" Mira said without getting mad.

"I wanted her to know the truth!" Steve sobbed.

"Why, why? I don't understand. Why can't you just leave her alone?" Mira was confused.

"I can't do that! I tried Mira, I tried! I just can't do it! This is wrong! She can't hate me, she can't!" Steve continued sobbing.

"You don't need her Steve. You DON'T need her. Why can't you ever be happy with what you have?" Mira observed.

"How can I be… knowing people hate me? I can't live with that! How can I be proud of anything I do if it still ends up causing people pain?" Steve said.

"Don't say that! I'm sure you've done what's best!" Mira tried comforting him.

"I thought I had… I really did! But look at me now! LOOK AT ME! I'm weeping like a child! I've never cried like this before in my life! I almost never cried!" He said.

"Maybe you're crying more now because you have more to lose, because you care more about things now." Mira observed.

"I do, I do. But she doesn't believe me! She thinks I don't respect her! How can I undo what happened! It's impossible! Why can't she believe me?" He cried.

"You have to live with it Steve. What makes this day any different then yesterday?" Mira asked.

"Yesterday I had hope. Now I don't." He answered.

"You're still alive! You can still try…" Mira just didn't know what to say. Perhaps she started to believe Steve had done the right thing to try and convince the Echani woman.

"What's the use? Next time, she'll just kill me." He cried.

"You don't believe that!" Mira said seriously.

"I know, but it's the same thing!" He sobbed.

"She's just a sadistic bitch! Why do you even like her?" Mira was confused.

"No! No! She isn't! Don't talk like that about her. She had a hard life! Harder than I can possibly imagine! She isn't supposed to hate me! Don't you understand! It's not like her! She isn't supposed to be like this! She needs to forget… she needs to forgive!" Steve cried.

"Oh Steve, Steve! I'm sure she tried her best to forgive. If she can't do it, she can't do it! You can't expect to perform miracles." Mira said.

"Why not! It's what I want! More than anything! Why can't people ever forgive? I just want to make things right! I want to set an example! Why would revenge even exist? It makes no sense!" Steve cried.

"Revenge is everywhere, Steve. It's as much part of human nature as love. Hell, it's part of my job! You can't make it go away." Mira said.

"Please make it go away, please!" Steve cried. Mira just held him in a tight embrace.

_WHO THE HELL IS THIS GUY? How is this possible? Is he just crazy or something?_ Mira thought to herself.

"Come on; let's get you out of the shower." Mira said as she helped the naked man up. She grabbed a towel and dried him, and then she helped him put on his underwear.

"I'll get your suit. I'll be right back. Just stay here." Mira said before she quickly disappeared. Steve just stood there, staring at nothing in particular, just like a zombie. Mira came back with Steve's black suit and helped him slide in it and zipped it shut for him.

"Come with me." She said and held his hand as she led the way back into Revan's room.

She set him down on the bed and sat next to him, just looking at his wandering eyes.

"Steve… I noticed that you're… well wounded, down there." Mira said as she pointed at his crotch.

"What happened?" She continued.

"It was the… god damnit; I don't even know their names! It was the first Echani woman. She was the one that was leading the torturing. She hated me more than hate itself! She did this to me… for hours and hours a day. She took some damn shock staves and burned my skin! What the hell did I do? I'm twenty years old damnit! I just had my birthday a few months ago! What the hell is wrong with the whole damn galaxy?" Steve said but tried not to cry.

"I can't believe how much trouble you are! You poor thing…" Mira put her hand on her mouth. She thought it was time to change the subject.

"I suppose it's natural for you to want to be friends with everyone after what you've been through… Tell me of your friend Bastila." Mira was finally saying something that would keep Steve from crying.

"Bastila? Bastila… my friend… I have a picture of her. My god, I forgot to post it on the wall!" He got off the bed and looked through his bags. He took out the large picture he was given by the Jedi healers of Dantooine and showed it to Mira.

"That's Bastila right there; my guardian angel. This was taken the first day I was in the tank at the enclave. They were both there, Revan and Bastila, the two people I love the most in the galaxy. Look at them. They look so happy. Don't you see? The Jedi thought I was doing the right thing. Maybe even Atris did. This is my most valuable possession. Bastila will come here eventually… when she can. I don't want her to see me like this. I don't want her to feel the hate that the Echani feels for me. The Jedi can sense that, you know? It would ruin everything… it would make her feel so uncomfortable. Make it stop!" He said sadly and lied back down on the bed.

"What do you want me to do?" Mira said sadly while placing the picture gently aside.

"Try and win the bet. Talk to her for me. Her sister couldn't do it, but you can." Steve said

"Actually, her sister is doing much better now. You really worked her yesterday, you know." Mira observed.

"I did? You mean it worked?" Steve was curious.

"I think so. She didn't seem well yesterday, but you should have seen her today. She's really better now. I think you did this to her." Mira said.

"Oh I hope it's true! I really hope it's true!" Steve said.

"Why don't you go find out? Go lend her a hand in the hangar. She's been waiting for you all morning." Mira said.

"Will you go talk to her sister for me?" Steve asked.

"I really don't know what good it'll do, but I can give it a try. Go to the hanger, Steve." Mira said. Steve nodded and was heading out the room.

"Wait. Come here." Mira said. She approached Steve and wiped the tear marks he had all over his face. Steve gave her a hug and said:

"Thank you Mira. You're a good friend. I'm just so glad I'm not alone in this place." He said.

"I don't think you'll ever be alone, Steve. You're an amazing person." Mira said honestly. Steve kissed her on the cheek and left the room. Moments later, Mira did what she promised to do.

She knew where to find the Echani woman. She had locked herself up in an adjacent room to the training room. Mira knocked at the door again with no response. She was about to pick the lock, but she noticed the door wasn't locked anymore. She opened it and saw the woman sitting at a workbench and sharpening her staves.

"What do YOU want?" She said in a low tone.

"I want to talk to you about Steve." Mira said frankly.

"You want to punish me for what we did to him? You want me to apologize? Because you won't get either from me." She said.

"I'm not here to tell you what you did was wrong, it seems to me, you already know that. No. I'm here to see if there's anything I can do to help make things better between all of us." Mira said.

"I don't want to be your friend! I don't ever want to be your friend!" She raised he voice a little.

"What about him?" Mira asked. There was a pause.

"How can I be his friend? I hate… never mind. I can't be his friend, it's impossible." The handmaiden said.

"Bull shit! You don't hate him at all, do you? You just don't want to believe you actually don't want to kill him!" Mira observed. She was bright all right.

"How dare you?" The white woman started.

"You know I'm right! I was wrong about you, but he wasn't! He believed in you! Don't turn your back on him, you're breaking his heart!" Mira said.

"That man is pathetic! He would cry about anything!" She yelled.

"Oh really? Did he cry when your sister practically tortured him to death, over and over again?" Mira asked.

"Leave me alone!" The handmaiden yelled.

"That man cried his heart out in my arms today, but he didn't cry when he was tortured. How dare YOU speak like that about him? He cried because he cares about you! Not because you beat the crap out of him!" Mira said defensively.

"Don't push it, woman!" The white woman shouted.

"What are you going to do? Beat me like you beat him? Is that the only thing you know how to do?" Mira shouted back. She could see the Echani was about to cry. She didn't expect that, not from her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I'll just leave." Mira said.

_No, I'm sorry._

In the mean time, Steve walked into the hangar and looked for the handmaiden. He didn't see her at first, but then she appeared from behind a vertical sheet of plastisteel.

"There you are. I've been expecting you all morning." She said as she approached him. She noticed his face looked a little grimmer than usual.

"What happened?" She asked.

"I'd rather not talk about it right now… Listen, I'm sorry about what I said yesterday." Steve started.

"It's all right, Steve." The woman answered.

"No, it's not all right. I really didn't mean to upset you." Steve said.

"I know what you meant, Steve. It's all right, really. I'm actually glad you told me." She replied.

"Really? You're not hurt anymore?" Steve asked.

"Really really. I had it coming. It was time I faced the truth." She answered.

"So it did work! I had to come see for myself! This is wonderful! How do you feel now?" Steve cheered up almost instantly.

"Better, I supposed. I still don't know what I want to do with my life… But I can manage." She said honestly. Steve hugged her and said:

"I'm so glad to hear it."

"Steve I… What happened to you this morning?" She said.

"I had a… an encounter with your sister. We fought, I lost… she hates my guts and it tore me apart…" He said simply.

"Steve, I already told you: she doesn't hate you PERSONALLY. Perhaps my sister is harder to understand, that's all." She said.

"What are you talking about? What's the difference?" Steve was puzzled.

"I mean: if she hated you personally, you wouldn't be here. That's the difference." She said honestly.

"How can she hate me but not hate me at the same time? I fought with her. She beat me up like I had murdered her parents or something… doesn't that mean something?" He asked honestly.

"Maybe you should ask her." She said.

"Ask her? Are you serious?" He asked. Just looking into the white woman's eyes, he could tell she wasn't kidding.

"For now, we have some work to do…" She said.

"Right, of course." He said as he helped the handmaiden continue working on the floor of the hangar bay. He helped her set down the large plastisteel sheet and stapled it to the foundation using a very powerful tool. The welding was what took the longest. It required precision because the plated were too thin to allow any mistakes. They were strong plates, but heat was such a powerful force. Steve and the Echani had just completed welding the plate against the other ones they were able to set the previous day. They had to repeat this so many times, they were sure now that they couldn't finish by the time Revan returned. As they were getting ready to set another one, they saw Mira entering the bay. Steve stopped what he was doing and waited until Mira was close enough to speak to her. The handmaiden had to stop too because she couldn't set the plate herself.

"How did it go?" Steve asked. Mira stopped just in front of him and said:

"I admit, she was hard to understand… but you were right about her… She doesn't hate you." Mira said seriously.

"How can you be sure?" Steve asked.

"I figured it out, that's all. She's an angry woman, but you're not really responsible for how she feels… not really. She must have been crying before I got there... and now she's at it again. Whatever you did, I think you got the message through to her. She's a mess now, but she isn't as aggressive as she usually is." Mira admitted.

"She's crying?" Steve was surprised.

"You better believe it…" Mira said.

"Waw… that's… that's really something. I had no idea she would do that…" He was thinking aloud.

"What do you think she'll do now?" Steve asked.

"I have no idea… hopefully, she'll get out of the room she locked herself in." Mira lifted her shoulders.

"My god, Mira… I don't know what to say… thank you so much! You're the best!" He smiled.

"Nah. If I was the best, I would have won the bet by now." She said sarcastically.

"Alright you two, I think it's time for lunch." The Echani said in a friendly tone.

"You guys go ahead; I'll join you at the table later." Steve said to the two women. The group split up.

Steve took his suit off and sat on the bed. He took out the blood pouch from his bags, disinfected the needles and inserted them into his side. As he was sliding them into his flesh, the door suddenly swooshed open and startled the man. He struggled to keep the pouch from sliding out of his hand but not before he overshot the needle's insertion. When he held the pouch tightly in his hand, he set it down on the bed and looked at the white woman at the door. It was the fourth handmaiden. She held something in her hands, but, as soon as Steve looked in her direction, she hid the object behind her back.

"I… I didn't expect you to be in here… I should have knocked…" She said.

"It's all right… I was just… feeding." He said before he realized he had to pull one of the needles out a little. As he did that, a large jet of blood squirted out, but he was able to catch it with his free hand. As the blood was quickly leaking out of his side, he got up and picked up a towel from his bag. Before the blood could drip down to the gray-carpet floor, he quickly wiped his side up with the towel. He thought of sitting down, but his boxers were starting to soak up some of the blood that had made its way down.

"What are you ehm… what are you doing here anyway?" He said cautiously.

"I was just going to… to drop something off." She said. She finally entered the room completely and the door closed behind her. Then she approached the man a little more. She hesitated before revealing the object she was holding. It was a lightsaber. Steve took a step back instinctively, fearing what the woman intended, but, when he thought about it, he realized she was not here to use it but to give it to him.

"Don't be afraid, I'm not going to use it on you." She said calmly. Steve nodded slightly but slowly.

"It was Atris'… or it became hers. I'm not too sure. It's customary for the Echani to retrieve the weapon of their enemies after… after they die. I think you earned the right to claim it… you and Revan, that is." She said slowly.

"Atris wasn't…" Steve was about to say _our enemy _but would sound foolish if he said it: It would go against the very meaning of the word to say she wasn't… even if he didn't believe it.

"What does it mean?" Steve asked.

"What? I just told you: it means you defeated…" The woman was saying before Steve rephrased his question:

"No. I mean, what does it mean that you decided to give it to me now? What changed?" He asked gently.

"It means I… it means I haven't been very fair." She said honestly.

"I wouldn't blame you for forgetting to give it to me…" Steve was saying.

"You don't understand… I mean I haven't been fair to you about everything…" She admitted.

"Listen, I… I don't blame you for what your sisters did to me… and I just… well I just wish you didn't blame me for… Please forgive me." Steve said faintly.

"You make it so hard for me." She said.

"I'm sorry." He said sadly.

"No. I mean, you ask me for forgiveness when I… when I was supposed to be the one to ask for it." She explained.

"Well, I guess you have a lot to learn of me, Echani. If only you were able to learn this during our fight, you would have known I forgave you long ago…" Steve said.

"What about what I did to you today… look at all your bruises…" She said pointing at the blue bulges on his skin.

"Well, I'm just as responsible for that as you are… but you already know that." He observed.

"What about… what about what I was trying to do by hiring Mira?" She asked.

"What do you think?" Steve said.

"I shot you full of nerve poison… How can you… forgive that?" She was confused.

"Do you still want to pump me full of poison?" Steve asked honestly.

"I… No… No, I don't." She said.

"So why shouldn't I forgive that? As far as I'm concerned you're not that person anymore. If you believe you aren't that person anymore, then it's because you were being… mislead in the past. How can I not forgive you for making mistakes? We all make mistakes, and we all learn from them…" Steve said.

"What about my sisters? Did you forgive them too?" The woman was not convinced Steve was beyond feeling some kind of hate for what they did to him. He didn't say anything at first; he just set a fresh towel on the bed and sat down.

"I wish I understood why your sisters did what they did…" Steve sighed sadly.

"Even I felt terrible about what we did… what my sisters did… But you never seemed angry. I don't understand… I've never seen anyone react to torture that way. It's supposed to make you angry. It's supposed to make your mind fail just as your body does… How can you not have been mad? How can you still not be mad?" She was puzzled.

"I wasn't mad. Your sisters were mad… not me. Would it make sense if I were mad at someone who was rightfully mad at me?" He asked.

"I don't understand your question…" She said.

"I try to make sense of things… I try to understand my emotions; I try to understand other people's emotions. In a typical situation, it wouldn't make sense for two people, who haven't been associated to one-another, to be angry at each other. If I were to understand if it would make sense for me to be angry with your sisters, I would have to know why they were mad at me. So far, that piece of the puzzle has been… very elusive…" Steve said honestly.

"Does it really matter? They were wrong to be angry with you, and so was I." She said.

"I wish they were here to tell me themselves… Still, I … I can't be convinced they were wrong unless I knew what they really felt. I took a chance with you… I suspected you didn't fell… dangerously hateful. Still, I could have been wrong. I could have been killed today… You could have killed me with a flinch of your arm. I can't say I would have been spared if it were one of your other sister… am I wrong?" Steve asked sadly.

"No… no you're not wrong. My sisters would have surely… well I… I think they might even have done worse than just snap your neck…" She said sincerely. Steve turned his eyes away, just looking at the wall with a very sad face.

"Don't you think I deserve to know why?" He asked.

"It's hard to explain." The woman said.

"Maybe there are better way to explain than just in words." Steve said.

"What do you suggest?" She asked.

"Teach me how to fight… teach me how to defend myself and tell me what your sisters felt… I think you were telling me something similar this morning… I'm trying to understand as best I can… help me. Give me the time to learn… give me the opportunity. I don't want to be a burden to you, but I must know this. If you don't have the patience to teach me, I'll understand… but please consider it." He said.

"I can try. But I can't promise anything. It may not explain why my sisters did what they did… even if you can sense it from our fighting." She said.

"Well, if I don't, will you tell me what I am missing in words?" Steve asked.

"I… I don't know. Steve, I… I don't really think I want to tell you. I barely know you… and what you're asking of me is a very…personal subject matter." She said.

"Are you ashamed of your past, Echani?" Steve observed.

"I am… and I'm not." She answered vaguely.

"Shame isn't an easy thing to deal with. But I'm not here to judge you, or your family, or your ways… I don't know what sadness you hide in your past, but maybe it will help to talk about it. Even to someone you don't care about… like me." Steve was looking at his feet now.

"I never said I didn't care about you." The woman said in a low tone.

"I know you didn't. But it would help if you shared what you feel. Did Mira tell you why I was crying so much after our fight?" Steve said.

"Not exactly." The woman answered.

"I was crying because I honestly believed you hated me. I can't stand that. But I was wrong to think it. If only you let me know how you felt earlier… When you were taking care of me, all those days ago… when we were alone together and I was watching you… I didn't say anything. But if could, I would have asked you how you felt. Ever since that moment, I have wanted to ask it." He said honestly and then looked into her eyes. The woman was completely stunned. She just stood there, completely frozen.

"Why do you care so much what I feel?" She finally managed to say.

"That's just how I am. I can't help trying to place myself in someone else's shoes and trying to understand what they feel. Just like you couldn't help taking out your anger on me. We are built differently, you and I, but it doesn't mean we can't get along." He said. The woman stood for a moment and then sat down beside him. She looked at him quietly and then said:

"I was thinking you were different… I FELT you were different. Everything about you was different from anything I could imagine. It felt different to look at you. Your stare was different, your… body was different, your sent was different… Everything I felt about you wasn't how I expected to feel. I didn't feel, at all, like my sisters felt about you. I felt you were… harmless… pure… good… a combination of things... I still feel that way. It made me feel hurt to see you tortured. I was even angry that you made me feel guilty… for a long time anyway." There was a pause.

"I just have one more question." Steve said before he sat in an angle to face her better.

"Were you angry at yourself or were you angry at me when we fought?" He asked clearly.

"I was angry at myself." The woman confessed and lowered her head in shame. Steve placed three fingers on her chin and softly lifted her face up.

"You said you hated me. Why?" Steve asked.

"I wasn't talking about you." The Echani confessed and she slid her hand on the three fingers Steve's placed on her chin.

"I guess it wouldn't make sense if you were. I just hope you can forgive whomever it is you were talking about. And if that person was you, I NEED you to forgive." Steve said gently.

"I wasn't me either… maybe it's better if we stop talking for now… here, take the weapon. It belongs with you now." She said as she was getting off the bed and handing the lightsaber over to Steve.

"I'll hold on to it, if you wish." Steve said as he accepted the gift and watched as the woman let the room much more peacefully than he had ever seen her.

Steve took out a new set of white boxer shorts from his bag and replaced the blood covered one he was wearing. He took the towel off the bed and wrapped it around the stained shorts. He did the same with the blood-covered towel. He put on the ugly robes and carried the blood pouch and the stained towel with him out of the room. He went to the dining room and approached the table where Mira and the last handmaiden were sitting. They seemed to have finished eating already and looked at the man curiously.

"I thought you were going to join us earlier." Mira said.

"I'm sorry… I was… your sister came to my room. Listen… this may sound like a silly question, but where do you take your dirtied laundry?" Steve asked the Echani woman. The two women looked at the bloodied towels and observed the white shorts that were wrapped up inside them.

"What did she do?" Mira frowned as she took the towels and shorts and inspected them.

"Nothing… it was an accident." He said quietly.

"An accident? Your shorts are soaked in blood!" Mira said loudly.

"It's not what you think… see, the Echani and I… well we… we just talked." He said honestly.

"Oh, you just talked? And what language were you speaking? Hers or yours?" Mira asked.

"I think we were largely speaking my language… look, the blood is mine… see, I was just inserting the needles in me when my door swung opened… I jumped in surprise. It was an accident…" He said defensively.

"Really? Open you robe and show me." Mira said. Steve hesitated and did what he was asked. Mira could see there was some dried blood on his side, just underneath the needles.

"Look… we… we reconciled. I'm fine really. Your sister's much better now." Steve said slowly to the women.

"All right, all right… I believe you." Mira finally said.

"Here, give me your clothes; I'll wash them for you." The handmaiden took the wrapped towels and shorts from Mira's hands and disappeared.

"Why do you look so lost if everything went so well?" Mira observed the quiet man.

"I'm just… well I got lost in my thoughts… we had a… a deep conversation. I'm still thinking about it. I really think… I think it went well." He said in the same distracted way he was speaking from the moment he entered the dining room.

"All right… so what happens now?" Mira asked.

"Well… the journey will be much easier now that I've crossed the bridge…" Steve spoke metaphorically.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7. Weapons Master

Two days later, in the morning, the ground shook delicately. Steve opened his eyes in anticipation of Revan's arrival. He got dressed and went straight to the surface. When he got out, he could see the ramp lower and reveal the womanly shape he knew so well. Revan was wearing her usual clothes now, the same reddish outfit with the white tank top. It was too cold outside to be wearing just that, but Revan didn't expect to have to step out of the hawk until it was stowed away into the hangar.

"What's going on? How come the shield is still up?" Revan said as she wrapped her arms around herself as she felt the chill of the air rush past her.

"The hanger is under construction at the moment. We have to leave the ship up here for now. Come." Steve said as he placed his arms around the cold woman and led her to the entrance. When they were inside, Revan held Steve's hand, walked with him to the common room and sat on a small couch.

"Where is everyone?" She asked.

"Everyone is working in the hangar… I should be there too, but I was still sleeping." Steve answered.

"What happened in the hangar?" Revan was curious.

"Nothing. Just some problem with the floor material." Steve said.

"We can't leave the ship up there for long… it will be detected and attract unwanted attention…" She said.

"We are working as fast as we can. Don't worry, it won't take long now." Steve said. Revan nodded and then just took a moment to peak into the man's mind and smiled.

"So what have you been up to these past few days?" She asked him with a smile.

"I did just what I said I would do… and I learned how to fight hand-to-hand… at least, I learned as much as I could, given the time I had." He answered. Revan was pleased.

"I'm proud of you. I have some money now. Soon, you will need to purchase some weapons for yourself… you know, like we discussed?" She said.

"Right, _weapons that are appropriate against the common foe_." He quoted what she told him.

"I'll have a good idea what to get when I inspect my options." He said.

"Of course you will. I think, tomorrow, you should take care of that." She said.

"Sure. I'll ask if Mira knows where I can get what I need. Come, I want to show you how well we all get along now. It's really great." He said as he pulled the woman with him anxiously. Revan smiled and followed him to the hangar. The women were all in there, working very well together. They had all felt the ground shake, and so they expected Revan to show up eventually. When they saw Steve and Revan enter, they stopped their work and gathered around the couple to greet Revan. After they all shared their greeting, Steve directed his attention at Mira:

"Mira, do you know of any good weapons stores… where I could get some stuff without attracting too much attention?" He asked seriously.

"You? No… but I know a place where ANYONE ELSE can get some good stuff without getting into trouble." She teased.

"Where?" Steve asked seriously after he laughed.

"I know a place on Nar Shadaa. It's a small place near Goto's headquarters. It's filled with Goto's gangsters, but they don't bother us bounty hunters." Mira answered.

"Could you take him shopping there tomorrow?" Revan asked the red-haired woman.

"What, alone?" Mira asked.

"Yes. You won't need me just to buy some weapons. I'll stay here. Besides, I want you to use your little fighter ship and travel as Steve's mentor. Just pretend that he's your apprentice, that way, he can blend in. Your ship only has two seats right?" Revan was double-checking her plans.

"Yes it does." Mira answered.

"Well, if you're willing to take him, then that settles it." Revan said.

"Sure, I'll take him… but why should you trust me with all of your money and your boyfriend?" Mira asked as a joke, but she was rather curious of what Revan knew of her.

"You ARE his friend aren't you? I can feel it you know. I trust you. You seem like a capable woman. Take care of him for me, and you can keep whatever money is left after Steve purchases his weapons… Oh, I almost forgot: while you're there, can you get some general intelligence on the current troubles and commotions around the galaxy?" Revan asked.

"You'll have to be a little more specific…" Mira said.

"I don't need anything specific. Just use your contacts to find out if there is anything a little unusual happening anywhere. If you need more specific parameters, look into local disputes and rival wars that are threatening to erupt in larger scales." Revan clarified.

"I can do that. But why do you want to know?" Mira asked.

"I'm just doing my part, that's all. I promised to keep things together." She answered.

"Ok. So tomorrow then. Do you think we can get this place finished by then?" Mira asked the fifth Echani.

"If Revan helps, we can be finished just after midday." She answered and everyone looked in Revan's direction.

"No problem." Revan smiled.

"With her help, we can be done even before we eat." Steve added.

Everyone gave their share of efforts and finished the floor before lunch, just as Steve predicted. Revan and Steve went up to the surface and got the Ebon Hawk up in the air while the older Echani woman lowered the camouflage shield that covered the hangar. The big ship set on the new plastisteel floor and was powered down. It was time to break out for lunch. Steve got his pouch on and joined the others at the table. This time, everyone was present and the table was practically full.

"So where did you go exactly, Revan?" The younger Echani woman asked.

"I spent most of my time on Korriban, in the Sith academy." Revan gave a direct answer.

"What were you doing there exactly?" Mira asked.

"Well, you could say it was a routine check-up of the status of the Sith empire. As you already know, their armies are all disassembled, but their culture remains. It's important that they maintain a proper control over themselves. I was there to make sure nothing would disturb that control." Revan explained.

"Do they still follow you?" The older handmaiden asked.

"They recognized my authority, but, as I said, I no longer lead them. No one does. That's how it has to be. They cannot be allowed to expand; they must remain as they are." Revan explained.

"So now what?" The younger Echani asked.

"Now I'm going to make sure no war can spill out onto the galaxy. And in the mean time, I'm going to spend my time here, with you guys." Revan answered as she gently squeezed Steve's hand and smiled. She was happy. It finally looked like things were going her way.

The lot of them spent the entire afternoon and evening discussing Revan's history. It was a wonderful experience for all of them to learn things of someone who had first hand experience of both the wars that crippled the galaxy in the past decade. Revan had many stories to share, and everyone gave them their attention. It was like listening to all the old retired officers of past wars, the ones that had so many tales and experiences of historical events… except Revan was just a tad older than the fourth Echani. She was a truly fascinating person. Though her extremely advanced wisdom was hard to understand for some people, this group seemed to follow very well. During the night, Revan and Steve exchanged their experiences of the past few days. Revan was very proud of him. She was amazed to see what strong influence he had on everyone that knew him. Steve could spread his love like a disease. He was the perfect tool of peace. There was nothing more she could ask of him. She wanted to hear all the details of his exploits. Steve told her everything that happened in the facility in the last few days, and Revan listened to the man like a wide-eyed child waiting to hear the rest of her bedtime story.

The next morning, Steve woke up at the sound of Mira knocking at the door. He got up, put on some underwear and told Mira to come in.

"Sorry to wake you… Revan's orders. It's time for us to leave. You can sleep on the way. Let's go." Mira said, as the man got dressed. He looked at his bag and was thinking weather or not he should bring the lightsaber he had been give by the handmaiden, but he decided against it. As Revan said, the Sith would be out of the picture from now on. A lightsaber could only cause more trouble now that a Jedi did not accompany him. He left it there and just took the rest of his things.

"I'm ready." He said to the redhead. The two of them stopped by the dining room. Everyone was eating breakfast. Steve and Mira said their good-byes and were off to the scum filled planet of Nar Shadaa. As Steve was suggested, he slept most of the way there. He felt comfortable in the chair and didn't mind the coldness of space. Mira didn't feel the same way though. She didn't like traveling. She was anxiously waiting for Steve to stop resting so she can tease him; she was so bored. She was accustomed to traveling alone, but, because she had company this time, she wanted to make the best of it. Mira stroked his cheek gently to wake him up.

"I think you've had enough sleep." Mira whispered in the man's ears.

"Are we there yet?" Steve said as he wiped his sleepy eyes to get their lids unstuck.

"No, no not yet." Mira smiled at the man.

"Oh… Are we under attack?" He asked while looking around to see any signs of problems.

"No. I just thought it was unfair for you to sleep in my face for the whole trip." Mira smirked.

"Oh Mira!" Steve laughed.

"Alright, alright, I'll keep you company. I wasn't planning on sleeping the whole way, you know." Steve said.

"Sure you weren't." Mira was being sarcastic.

"I don't get to travel with someone very often, and I don't particularly like space travel, so…" Mira admitted.

"What do you have in mind?" Steve said.

"Well, Revan told us all about herself yesterday, but you haven't said much about yourself. I'd like to know who you were before all of this started." Mira said.

"Ha. You want to get your chance at falling asleep don't you?" Steve teased.

"What do you mean by that?" Mira asked seriously.

"Well, I wasn't much before I met Revan. I was just a commoner on my planet, preoccupied by nothing and anything really. There's nothing to say." Steve honestly.

"Hmm. Strange. I don't get it. I don't exactly know what you can do, but I'm sure it's pretty fancy if Revan decided you were important somehow." Mira was a little puzzled.

"Well, I don't have any special abilities if that's what you're asking." Steve said seriously. Mira lifted an eyebrow at him.

"No, really, I don't." Steve said.

"I don't think Revan just decided to pick you up for your personality, not that it's not really adorable, but I think there has to be more to it than that." Mira said.

"Well of course not. She needed my help, she told you that already." Steve said.

"True, but you said you didn't have any abilities…" Mira said.

"I didn't, she gave me hers for a while… so I can help her." Steve said.

"And she picked you because… what?" Mira was still puzzled.

"Because she knew I was the best choice. She didn't say this yesterday, but she had much more power than she needed during the wars. She used her abilities to find me, through the very maze of the galaxy; she was looking for someone like me. She said she was looking for something particular enough to limit her search to a mere handful of people." Steve explained it as he was told.

"A handful of people in the entire galaxy?" Mira asked. She knew of the Jedi and of what they were capable of, but none of their stories were this improbable… She didn't believe it.

"Not the whole thing, but most." Steve clarified.

"So let me get this straight… there's absolutely nothing you can do? No skills? No credentials?" Mira asked.

"I wouldn't say I'm not skilled at anything because that's completely untrue, but I haven't been able to use my potential until I met Revan. I do have skills with a lightsaber… I'm sure I can be good with a firearm as well." Steve said defending his qualities.

"You think you're good? You mean you haven't used one yet?" Mira was surprised, she was almost laughing in her head at how inexperienced this man was.

"I never had to. Don't worry; I won't disappoint you if the time comes for me to use one." Steve said honestly.

"Steve, Steve, Steve. How did I let Revan drag me into this? You're going on a dangerous planet to buy weapons you never even held before, and that's as close of a skill you actually have?" Mira was amused at how peculiar everything was about this man… and his connection to Revan.

"I'm a quick learner." Was all Steve could say.

"Actually, I can almost pilot a ship now… almost. It won't be long before I learn all the buttons on the Ebon Hawk's panels. The actual flying part isn't very difficult; I'm sure I can get the hang of it." Steve said.

"I'll give you that, you can learn… Like you learned to fight. But still… I feel like I'm in so much trouble now, babysitting you like this. I knew you were trouble, but I had no idea you were so… inexperienced." Mira said in a serious tone this time.

"Don't think about it too much. Revan wouldn't send us out here together if you couldn't handle me. Besides, you said we wouldn't run into any trouble." Steve tried to reassure the woman.

"Don't worry, I can handle you. What I'm concerned about is if you can handle yourself if we ever get separated." Mira said honestly. Steve looked her straight in the eyes and said.

"We can't get separated… whatever happens, we have to stay close." He said in a concerned tone.

"Steve, I can't bring you everywhere I go… When we reach Goto' headquarters, I'll have to go in alone." Mira said.

"That's fine. I'll wait at the door for you. At least I'll look meaner with a few weapons packed in my bags. That part shouldn't be a problem, just don't expect me to know where to go if we get separated." Steve said.

"All right, I'll do my best." Mira said after rolling her eyes.

"You still don't look convinced… come on, we'll be fine! Hey, look at me! See, I trust you. Just have a little faith in me. I won't disappoint you, I promise." Steve smiled at the woman.

"All right, all right, I trust you too… and I won't worry about it anymore, but if we get into trouble, you're going to have to do much better than just look at me like that to make me feel better." Mira teased, but, deep down, she was serious.

"It's a deal: You just don't worry too much, and I'll make it up to you if we get into trouble." Steve teased back.

The small fighter ship arrived at its destination. It was dark at this particular time and place. The streets were mostly empty and quiet. The two passengers that exited the fighter ship looked professional enough to blend in. Mira and Steve made their way to a small warehouse that was thankfully opened all around the clock. Inside were very few people who seemed legit in their business. Mira approached the counter and Steve stood next to her.

"Hallo, Bounty hunters. What can we do for you?" The alien at the counter said as best he could. He was a strange creature with a rather large mouth. Steve never had seen one like this before. He was rather frightening because of the way it looked; it seemed to be always giving off a fake smile, showing off its large dark teeth. It looked to him like a derivative of the reptiles he had on his planet, except his large scales were brown rather than yellow-green. Otherwise, it looked rather humanoid to him.

"Hello… what was your name again? Remeize Remar?" Mira asked.

"Rambossa. Ares you heres for ze… products?" The alien asked.

"That's right; I'm here with my apprentice to pick up some merchandise." Mira said.

"Follows we then." The creature said as he led the two people to the back room.

In this room, there were many weapons displayed in glass casings and shelves.

"Ares you lookings far anathing in particulars?" The alien asked.

"My apprentice will pick out what he needs." Mira said, as she looked at the man in his black suit. Steve didn't even look back at Mira as she said it. He was already focusing on what he needed, making his way to the casings to get a closer look at his selection. He stopped when he reached the section that displayed small blaster pistols.

"I need two like these that don't heat up too much under stress." Steve said to the alien.

"These ares ours newr ones." The alien said as he took out two identical, short and rounded, silver pistols out of the glass counter.

"Are they the coldest ones?" Steve asked as he inspected the blasters.

"These ares small yields… they don't heat." The alien said. Steve didn't trust the alien, for all he knew, those creatures were cold blooded and could care less of the heat a weapon emitted when it was used extensively. Also, these two pistols were also the most expensive of the gang. The alien was probably just trying to make a good profit. Mira was interested in Steve's request. She didn't think he knew what to shop for until now.

"All right, I'll take them. I need something else though. I'm looking for a sniperrifle…" Steve started but knew the alien wouldn't know what he was talking about; this weapon was one they made on his planet. He hoped there would be something like that here. He decided to rephrase the question using a description of the weapon he wanted:

"I'm looking for a large yield weapon with a scope on it… that can fire very far away… you know, a rifle." He said. The alien nodded and opened up a large crate that was behind the glass counter. It pulled out a large rifle and placed it delicately on the counter.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Steve said as he inspected the weapon's features. It was much lighter in weight then he imagined it to be. The scope was very powerful and gave out a great amount of detail. It also possessed other optical modes that enabled the user to see in the dark and so on. The barrel was very large and long. The energy particle that came out of it must have been very powerful.

"I'll take it." Steve said as he set the weapon back down on the counter, next to the two pistols.

"Oh, I almost forgot: do you have any chemical weapons… ehm… something like a small gas grenade, something small and discreet that could be useful?" Steve asked.

"No… Arrr… actually, we has somethings new. Let we gets it." The alien hesitated. He came back with small translucent capsules filled with liquid.

"These ares brand new… has not been tested from us. These ares the… poisons and these, the antidotes." He said while separating the two different capsules. Mira approached the counter to get a closer look. She hasn't seen these before.

"How do they work?" Steve asked.

"You swallows both of them and you carry… undetectable poisons that cann place yours enemy in… sleeps." The alien had a hard time explaining it.

"Right, but how does it…" Steve was trying to understand, but he noticed the alien was getting a small paper out of the counter. They must have been instructions he could understand. As the alien handed the paper to him, he and Mira read it. The two capsules were, in fact, contagious viruses and anti-viruses. The virus itself was used to cause the carrier to fall in a deep state of sleep that could last up to a day. When combined with the anti-virus, the carrier doesn't become infected but can transmit the virus through bodily contact. Its highest concentration was found in bodily fluids. It was suggested in the instructions that the user should spit on any target he or she wishes to infect and the results would be felt very shortly after. The contagion would become less and less effective as time goes by. It also indicated that, 24 hours after the virus was combined with the anti virus, it would become completely neutralized.

"Interesting." Steve said as he read.

"This might be useful." He added as he looked at Mira.

"I think that'll be all." He said to the alien. The price of all of these things combined was very steep, but Steve knew how much of a difference they could make, and he wasn't going to gamble his safety and that of his friends for any amount in the world. Revan had given him plenty of credits though. Steve paid for the merchandise and added a utility strap to his purchases. There was already a strap on the big rifle that allowed him to carry the large rifle on his back, but he wanted to be able to carry his pistols on his back as well. He selected a strap that could hold his two blaster pistols tightly against his back. He got all set with the weapons and left the store with Mira. Just outside of it, he stopped the woman, handed her an antidote capsule and gobbled the virus and anti-virus himself.

"Just in case." He said when he noticed the hesitation in the woman's eyes. Mira accepted the anti-virus and led Steve to Goto's headquarters. They ended up in a dark alley along a building with only one opening at the end of it. On the side of this alley, there was just another empty spot that was so common in this city. There were many of these empty spaces that allowed circulation of the air, from the actual surface of the planet, all the way to the high altitude the city was built in. Just as the last time he was here, Steve observed that it was a very long fall down to the surface of the planet. At this hour, it just looked like a black hole down there. However, there were railings here to prevent people from accidentally falling down or being pushed off… instead of nothing like the last place he was in. That reassured him some, but he still didn't like this damned city. Mira stopped Steve at the beginning of this alley and said:

"From here, I have to go alone. Just stay here, and don't attract too much attention. It won't take long. I'll just get some intelligence, and we can be on our way home in no time." Mira said as she pushed Steve into a shadowy section.

"I'll be right back." She said as she kissed the man on the cheek. Mira walked down the alley fearlessly and entered the building.

Steve just paced back and forth in the shadow, waiting for her to come back. Just over half an hour later, the entrance of the building swung open. He could see Mira backing out of it slowly. Steve looked in the distance carefully to see what was going on exactly. Shortly after Mira stepped completely out of the entrance, a giant furry creature followed her out of the building, growling. The wookie picked up the retreating woman by the throat and carried her slowly towards the edge. Steve dropped down to the floor and unclipped his rifle from his back reflexively. He turned on the night-vision of the scope, settled the rifle on the floor and looked through the scope. He saw Mira hanging helplessly in the hands of the tall beast as she was being slowly carried to the edge.

"Stop it Hanharr! I don't care about your stupid life-debt!" Mira yelled at her attacker. The wookie growled at her and lifted her higher in the air.

"I'm not afraid to die. But you're making a mistake, if you kill me, you'll be breaking Goto's rules, and everyone's going to be hunting you!" Mira pleaded as she gasped for air through the creature's tight grip on her neck. Steve couldn't hear a thing they said, but he could clearly see the wookie was about to lift Mira past the railings. He had to act before that happened. He aligned his shot directly at the giant's head and fired a powerful energy particle. He fought the recoil of the weapon as best he could and then looked through the scope to see the results of his shot. The blast pierced through the beast's head and exited the other side. The wookie dropped dead on the floor. Mira landed on her feet, just an inch before the railings and pushed the dead animal's paws off of her neck. Then she ran to Steve. Steve placed his rifle on his back and got up from the floor. The woman grabbed him and pushed him against he wall in the shadow and said:

"What the hell are you doing?"

"I was just helping! That beast was going to throw you off the ledge!" Steve said defensively.

"Well, now we're going to have everyone on our backs. Soon, everyone's going to be looking for me! You shouldn't have done that!" Mira was a little mad.

"What are you talking about? I couldn't just let you get killed!" He said.

"Well, at least you could've gotten away. Now we're both dead!" Mira said.

"Well, I'd prefer a chance that we both make it than you get slaughtered for sure." Steve said defensively.

"Looks like we don't have a choice anymore… alright, let's get out of here. Just do as I say and we may make it out of here alive." She said.

Steve followed her in the dark alleys as they zigzagged around the city.

"Do you know where we are going?" Steve asked the woman.

"Of course, I don't need a map to know my way around this place… I work here, remember?" She explained. They snuck past some patrols and made their way to the hangar where they had landed Mira's fighter ship. The hallway that led there was dark but not as dark as within the hangar itself.

"I don't think we should go in there…" Steve said with a concerned tone.

"We have no choice." Mira said as she got her armband ready to fire some darts or rockets. Steve placed an arm around her wrist and lowered it.

"What if it's an ambush? I don't think we should go in there with our weapons readied or they will shoot us down for sure." Steve said. Mira looked at him curiously for a moment and then lowered her arm the whole way down.

"You're right. Let's just hope no one is there or we will have no chance to defend ourselves." Mira said. The two of them walked slowly into the dark room and saw nothing. They stepped in and looked around carefully. There was still nothing to see or hear in the hanger. Mira and Steve sighed and were about to pick up their pace, but they heard a voice behind them. Steve didn't understand what was said because it was in an alien language. Mira understood though; she looked into Steve's eyes and slowly lifted her arms in the air in surrender. Steve looked back at her and did the same. Mira didn't look very happy at all…

"Echouna wanga way po." The voice said. Mira turned around slowly and Steve did the same. There were two gray skinned Twi'lek females… twins that had their blasters pointed at them.

"What do you want?" Mira asked the twins.

"Woo esten aapares tenn choota" One of the twins replied.

"We had no choice, Hanharr broke the rules first." Mira answered.

"Too anche wass doltre." One of the Twi'leks replied.

"Oh sure… not a coincidence… right. You think I was planning on killing Hanharr? I just wanted to leave! But I guess the truth doesn't matter now does it? You just want to collect on our bounty even if we are innocent…" Mira said.

"Too chan chutta!" They said to her.

"I guess it's better that you take us alive than dead… Steve, drop your weapons on the floor and take a step back." Mira told the man as she did the same with her armbands. The twins escorted their bounty to their apartment. Just at the entrance of their apartment building, there were patrols scouting around. The partols saw the bounty hunters with their prey and walked to them. The patrols looked like bith gangsters… probably Goto's gang. Their leader spoke the twins in another alien language. Mira whispered the translation to Steve:

"They say they were looking for us… The twins say we belong to them… They say they will stay here until Goto places a bid on us. Shit… this isn't good. Even if we make it out of the building…" Mira was going to say more, but the twins were close enough to hear them, so she decided to stop. Soon after they were led in the apartment building and taken to the top floor. The twins tied Mira on a chair, took Steve into the next room and did the same to him. They wanted to keep them separated, which was a very good idea, but it was very bad for Steve and Mira… First of all, the virus had to infect both the Twi'leks at the same time if they wanted to attempt an escape, but, also, it made the interrogations a lot more difficult because the twins could easily detect variations between the lies Mira would tell and the ones Steve would. It wasn't good for them at all…

One of the twins questioned Mira while the other one questioned Steve. The one questioning Steve had to provide a translation through a datapad. Steve read the first question:

_Who are you? _Was written on the screen.

"My name is Kirk, Captain James T. Kirk of the starship Enterprise…" Steve answered with a straight face.

_What are you doing with Mira?_

"I decided to become a bounty hunter instead of a captain, so I made a deal with her to teach me how to become a bounty hunter…" Steve said.

_Those were nice weapons… where did you get the money for them?_

"I sold my ship to buy them…" Steve answered. The female left the room to verify the information. Steve was alone now. He inspected the room around him. There were no windows or anything. There was no other exit but the door. As he ventured his eyes away from the wall, he noticed the contents of the room.

_Great, another torture room… just what I needed_. Steve thought to himself.

In the next room, Mira was being questioned:

"Too chi nein foo?" They asked her.

"His name is Smith, John Smith. He's my new apprentice." Mira answered.

"Cahn chubba loogna." They asked.

"I don't work alone anymore… see, I'm getting paid a lot…" Mira said.

"Tan Chutta!" One of them yelled.

"Lie? Me? Noooo." Mira said sarcastically. The two twins didn't appreciate that very much. They untied her and dragged her in the next room where Steve was. They set her next to him and looked at the two of them. One of them untied Steve while the other tied Mira where Steve had been tied down. They didn't let her sit on the chair though. They kicked the chair out of the way and let Mira hang, hands tied behind her, against the bottom of the wall. She was in an awkward position. She couldn't settle down on the floor because her hands were tied to high, but, also, they were tied too low to stand. She had to fake a seat with her legs to be comfortable, but it would tire her out eventually. And when her legs couldn't stand it anymore, she would be in great pain. She was strong though, she could last maybe an hour before her legs would tire too much. When Mira was secured against the wall, the twins held Steve in front of her.

"Chan chi too nah swoo." One of the twins said.

"Of course he isn't worth anything, he's just an apprentice." Mira answered.

"Han chut kahn sat." They replied.

"She wants me to translate what she said." Mira said to Steve.

"Wanna way go we chutta kat too." The Twi'lek continued.

"She said we can lie all we want, but the body never lies." Mira said as the twins stripped the man naked in front of her and set him down on a restraining table that was just a few feet away from them. Mira looked away angrily from what she was about to witness. The twins cuffed the man's wrists and ankles in metal cuffs that were at the lower part of the table, on either side, stretching the man's limbs apart and out of the way. The cuffs were of a thick metal and rested on the flat surface of the table's side. This table was solid though. It was made for torture, and that mean it was capable of withstanding however much force the person on it can inflict. Also, it was made like a cutting board… that meant the materials were not easily broken. There was simply no way for him to break free unless he stole the key from the twins… and, the way he was placed, he was in no position to fetch anything from anywhere. Even if the virus he carried could take effect, he couldn't get away, nor could Mira for that matter.

"Sum mal choo wanga." The Twi'lek continued.

"She said your scars cannot lie." Mira translated for Steve. The two twins inspected every square inch of his body, looking at every bruise and every crack. It wasn't long before they noticed he had a skin graphing on his abdomen. One of the twins pulled out a knife and sliced it underneath the clone skin. A mixture of blood and liquid squirted out of the opening. The twin stabbed the knife in vertically this time and cut the depth of the graphing. She cut up a square shape and pulled the skin off from underneath with the knife. Steve's wound was revealed to the twins, but Mira was too low to see what was being done. The table was too high for her to see anything but Steve's side and face. Steve just stared at the sealing on top of him as the twins tore the protective skin off his body. It didn't hurt him, but he knew it wouldn't help to see what they were doing. The wound fascinated the two twins. They inspected the inside of it thoroughly with they eyes and hands; getting themselves dirty with his blood and fluids. They spoke to each other as they looked carefully at it. Finally one of them said:

"Woo esten aapares tenn choota. Puta chong alas dan woo."

"She said that wound wasn't made by a blaster, it was made by a lightsaber. She wants to know where you got it." Mira said sadly knowing what the women would do if Steve continued to lie... as he most likely would. Steve whispered something in a very low voice pretending to be too weak to speak up. As the Twi'lek bent down to hear what he said, Steve spit directly in her face. The female pulled away, wiped his saliva of her face and smirked. The two twins walked around the man like vultures about to feed on a carcass. Then the other Twi'lek bent over his face and kissed him on the lips and laughed as her sister was playing some more with Steve's wound; penetrating it with her hand and moving things around in there. Suddenly, they both collapsed on the ground. They were sound asleep. Steve finally stopped looking at the sealing and looked around to see if the virus was working. He noticed Mira, who looked very insecure.

"What the hell are we supposed to do now? Wait until they wake up?" Mira was upset but not necessarily at Steve. Steve didn't respond, he just kept looking around and tried moving his arms and legs. Then he stopped and turned his head to Mira.

"Mira, I can get us out of here, but I need your help…" Steve said.

"Oh YOU can get us out?" Mira was being sarcastic, but she was too angry to sound that way. As she looked in Steve's eyes, she knew he wasn't kidding.

"What do you want me to do?" Mira asked seriously. Steve wiggled his hand to focus her attention on it.

"I want you to kick my hand as hard as you can. Try to hit my knuckles." Steve said.

"WHAT?" Mira said in shock.

"I need you to break my bones… you need to hit as hard as you can. Please concentrate. If you don't kick hard enough, you'll just be hurting me for nothing. Trust me. Aim for my knuckles." Steve said seriously. Mira hesitated for a moment.

"Alright Steve… here goes nothing." Mira said before she landed her first kick. The noise it made was too loud to hear the bones snap. Steve wasn't sure if it worked, so he tried moving his fingers around. Then he shook his head and said:

"Do it again."

"Are you sure?" Mira asked.

"Come on Mira, we have to go all the way." Steve said. Mira nodded and kicked hard again. This time, she could hear a snap and the yell that escaped from Steve reassured her enough that it worked this time. Steve wiggled his hand around again and shook his head in disappointment.

"Damnit, you'll have to kick it again. Just one more time Mira; we can do this." Steve moaned. Mira kicked again. As before, Steve screamed after the snapping noise. He wiggled his hand and took a pause.

"All right, I think we got it." Steve said. He breathed in and out to calm himself down, and, when he was ready, he pulled his hand as hard as he could. He shrieked in pain as the cuffs were squeezing his hand's flesh and broken bones into a ball. After pulling as hard as he could, his hand slipped completely free of the cuff. He continued yelling and screaming as he put his hand on his chest. Then he tried calming himself again. When he was calm enough, he twisted his upper body sideways and looked at the Twi'lek on the floor. The key was in her pocket, but it was too far for him to reach. He twisted himself as much as he could and grabbed the alien's leg with his broken hand and pulled her towards him. It looked like a terribly hard and painful thing to do with a broken hand, but Mira figured that, if he could stand the pain of breaking it in the first place, he could stand this. Steve bicep bulged up like a rock dome, and the veins in his forearm stood out like the tunnels a mole dug underneath the ground as the blood rushed through his arm. Soon, the female's body slid towards him, and he was able to take the keys from her pocket. He uncuffed his other arm and then did his legs. When he got off the table, whatever fluid he still had in his wound spilt out onto the floor. Steve didn't pay any attention to that; he just did his best to untie his friend. It was very difficult to do with a broken hand and he soon gave up. He looked desperately at the floor and stole the knife one of the Twi'lek held and used it to cut Mira loose. He then put on his shorts. Mira helped him slip into his suit, but Steve stopped her halfway:

"Try to find a towel or something; I can't just leave my wound open like this." He told her as he observed the stuff that was in it leak out. Mira went into the other rooms and returned with a cloth. Steve stuffed it on his wound and Mira helped him zip his suit shut.

"Let's get our weapons back." Mira said seriously. They went into the first room and picked up their stuff. Steve paused and thought for a moment.

"Mira, help me find some tape." He said.

"What for?" She asked.

"You'll see." Steve said. They both searched the apartment and Mira found something suitable.

"That'll do." Steve said. He took one of his pistols and placed it in his broken hand. Then he taped it tightly in place, just leaving his trigger finger free to move.

"Excellent." He said as he moved his hand around to see if he was comfortable with it. When he was ready, they went down the stairs and looked out the windows. Steve got his other pistol out and Mira had a blaster she took from the twins. There was a patrol standing just outside the front doors. It was a simple trick to catch them by surprise. From this position, they could shoot them all down before even one of them turns around.

"Ready?" Mira asked. Steve nodded. Mira kicked the door open and set loose a barrage of energy blasts from her blaster. Steve could shoot very rapidly with his two pistols. It didn't take long before the patrol was nothing but a steaming pile on the floor. Mira ran off, and Steve followed her. She was heading back to the hangar. Soon after they took off, an alarm sounded and patrols were sent everywhere. The two of them were able to avoid most of the patrols, but, when the came close enough to the hangar, they could see that there was a big group there already waiting for them. Mira could see, far down the other passage, that there was another troop coming towards them, and she was damn sure there was another patrol that was approaching from behind.

"We're trapped!" Mira was distressed. Steve looked around and saw a ladder just ahead of them. It led up to a platform that was stuck in between all three passageways: the one they came from, the hangar's passageway and the other passage where there was already group of gangsters heading through it.

"Let's go up there. You can worry about the people who climb up this ladder… while I snipe the groups below." He suggested.

"Good idea." Mira agreed. Steve was the first to climb up. He did it slowly because he could only use one hand. Mira followed closely. When he reached the top, Steve laid down at the end of the platform from where he could clearly see all the gangsters that were guarding the hangar. He took out his rifle and positioned himself to target his enemies while Mira covered the ladder. One shot after the other, the gangsters were dropping dead. Steve was very accurate and fast. He could see the group crouching for cover as their comrades were dropping dead on the floor. There was no escaping his blaster fire; from that angle, he had a clear shot on all of them. Soon, the gangsters reached the ladder and tried climbing up. Mira let them climb up a bit and then killed the bith gangster who was closest to the top. His fall knocked all the others down and gave Mira time to kill them all. When there was no one left guarding the hangar, Steve put away his rifle and placed his other pistol in his hand. He went close to the other edged and shot whomever he saw on the head. He went around the platform, looking down in every direction, killing anything that moved. The gagsters stood no chance; the moment they saw his figure, they were dead. The ones that dared climb the ladder were always the quickest to die. When all the corners were clear, Steve told Mira to climb down as he strapped his pistol back on his back. He followed her slowly, and, when they were both down safely, they jumped over the dead bodies and rushed to the hangar. Mira got to fighter up in the air as quickly as she could, and they were off to safety. Steve unhooked the strap that held all his weapons and set them on the ground so he can finally sit down. The two of them were breathing fast. When they were calm enough, Mira spoke first:

"That was crazy."

"Yeah, tell me about it. Well, we made it out in one piece…" Steve replied.

"Oh yeah? Look at your hand." Mira said. Steve looked at his hand with the blaster still taped on it.

"It'll heal." He said as he started to unwrap the tape. As she took his hand into her palms, Mira said:

"Let me see." The hand was swelling a lot. It also looked all crooked.

"Come to the back with me, I can fix it." Mira said. She pulled Steve out of the chair and brought him to the rear of the small cockpit. She pulled out a small bench from the wall and told Steve to sit on it. She took out the first aid kit from a compartment above Steve's head. There were very few items inside, just like the first ship Steve had been in. There were bandages, syringes, bottles of fluids and various straps and bracers. First, Mira pulled out a bottle of solvent and cleaned off the sticky residue that the tape left. Once his hand was clean, she injected some liquid into his palm with a syringe.

"What is that?" Steve asked as Mira pulled out the needle from his hand.

"Just an anti-swelling mixture." She replied. She took out some thin metal plates with bracers and some bandages and set the rest of the kit back were she found it. She set the first plate on his palm and hooked it onto the bracers on either side on his hand. Then she placed another plate on the back of his hand and said:

"This may hurt."

Mira squeezed his hand between the two plates and hooked the top plate onto the bracers. Steve inhaled through his mouth while Mira was doing this. Then Mira rolled the bandages around his hand and in between his fingers.

"Here we are. You'll be fixed up in no time." Mira smirked as she placed her hands on either side of the bench Steve was sitting on.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you by killing the wookie." Steve said softly.

"Actually, I'm glad you did. That beast was stupid… he may have killed me. I just didn't think we would make it past Goto's punks." Mira admitted.

"Well, at least we got what we came for." Steve said as he looked at the weapons he set beside the co-pilot's chair. Mira looked over her shoulder at the weapons and said:

"Yeah. We sure did. And they're some pretty fancy ones too. You said you would be good with them, but you never said you would be excellent. You're a superb marksman." Mira smiled.

"Well… I played some violent games in the past… It isn't much different from this." Steve admitted. Mira just stood close to him and looked at him for a moment with her arms still imprisoning Steve on the bench in between her and the ship's hull.

"You remember your promise? You said you would make it up to me if we get into trouble…" Mira smirked. Steve blushed a little and smiled back.

"What do you have in mind?" He asked curiously.

"Well, I was thinking… The way back is kind of long and…" Mira was saying before she saw a distress in Steve's eyes. Steve yelled out a scream of pain and placed his good hand on his wound as his body shook violently. Mira was about to help him fight the pain.

"No, don't touch me!" Steve yelled out. It was too late: Mira placed her hand on his chest and absorbed a violent portion of the electrical shock that was running through Steve's body. Mira flew back wards and retreated her hand in a protective hold against her breasts with her other arm. She got back up and yelled:

"What the HELL is going on?"

Mira was thinking about what she should do to help the man. She saw something flashing in the cockpit. She ran closer to the controls and noticed the proximity alert was flashing: they were being followed.

"Holy HELL! What now! CHEESH, when are we going to get some damn quiet time?" Mira was desperately furious. She was about to get the ship ready for an attack, but, as she sat down, she noticed she was being hailed.

The faces of the two Twi'lek twins appeared on the screen. Mira could see the translation of what they were saying on the bottom of the screen. Though she didn't need to read it to understand perfectly well what they were saying, she was too distracted to ignore the subtitles:

_We would advise against any hostilities Mira… We can blow up your ship from the inside… Oh yes, your friend is now a bomb carrier. Land your ship on the nearest planet and surrender him to us. Oh and… don't even think of taking our little surprise out of him._

Mira dropped out of hyperspace and steered the ship towards the nearest planet. When the controls were set in, she got off her seat and went in the back to check on Steve.

"I'm all right now." He said.

"We have to get that thing out of you." Mira said as she unzipped his suit.

"What if it's booby trapped?" Steve said.

"What if they're bluffing? Trust me; I won't touch it unless I'm sure it's safe." Mira said. She pulled down the upper part of his suit and kneeled down as she took out the cloth from his wound. She took out a miniature flashlight from the compartment on the floor, stretched out the opening of his wound with two fingers and flashed the light into the dark hole. Inside it, she could see a shinny metallic sphere with spikes sticking out of it. It was stuck halfway into Steve's flesh and the rest was just bulging out into the wound.

"Those damn bitches jammed it tight in there! If it's trapped, it'll set off for sure." Mira said angrily as she closed the flash light and stormed back to the pilot seat.

"Set it on the planet… They just want me right? We'll see what they want from me, and, if it turns out bad, at least you'll be able to get help." Steve suggested.

"Doesn't look like we have much of a choice…" Mira said.

"Well, you can always call their bluff…" Steve said.

"Forget it; I'm not going to risk it." Mira said seriously.

"Alright. I wouldn't try it either, but you're in charge here… you have to do what you think is best, I trust you." Steve said.

"Maybe there's a way I can buy you off them… We'll see." She said as she started the landing sequence. They landed in a desert. The twins landed their vessel just one hundred feet behind them. Mira took out her blaster and got out of the ship with Steve. The twins were just standing half way between the two ships, waiting for the exchange. Mira held Steve's arm and pointed her blaster at one of the twins as she walked towards them. When she was close enough, she could see that the Twi'lek she was pointing at was holding a device in her hand and the other one held a blaster. Mira stopped ten feet away and said:

"Let me buy him off you! Get that thing out of him and return him to me… I'll give you whatever credits we have." Mira proposed. The Twi'lek pressed a button on the remote she held and Steve was electrocuted. Mira let go of him to avoid being shocked again and Steve fell down to his knees.

"Woo tang shutta swong tall." One of the twins said.

"She said I'm in no position to make demands." Mira translated to the kneeling man.

"We spared your lives back at your apartment! We could have killed you while you were unconscious… Don't you think you owe us something?" Steve said to the twins.

"Sum mal choo wanga." She answered him.

"She said that's why she didn't blow us up." Mira translated.

"Woo esten aapares tenn choota." She continued.

"She said we are even now and that you belong to them…" Mira said to the kneeling man. Steve stood up and walked a little closer to the twins.

"If you blow me up, we will all die… and if you shock me to death, Mira will kill you both… Either way, the both of you die… but Mira can still get away. I'd say YOU're not in a position to demand anything. Why don't you take the offer because that's all you can get from this." Steve said.

"Too anche wass doltre." The twin said.

"She said she wants our weapons too." Mira said.

"You can't have them… without our weapons, what are we supposed to defend ourselves with? You know we can't offer you anything else." Steve bargained.

"Woo esten aapares tenn choota. Puta chong alas dan woo." A twin said.

"She said you'll have to just go with them until we can arrange a better deal…" Mira said. Steve looked at her with a sad face and nodded.

"Wait for me here… I we can't reach a settlement here and now… Just go." Steve said. Mira stared at him in disbelief:

_When is this ever going to stop? How can you be so much trouble? You're such a little man… You have so much of your life ahead of you… and this is how things are for you at the very beginning… I'll get you out of this Steve, I promise you. _Is what she thought to herself as she was painfully looking at him leave with the twins.

The two Twi'leks escorted Steve in their ship. It was a larger ship then the fighter Mira had, but it was not as dangerous. Of course, these two people needed the extra space for yet another torture table. It was as though they didn't go anywhere where there wasn't any… and, just to be sure, they brought theirs along wherever they went. The first thing they did was take off his suit and cuff him on the restraining table. This time, they left him the luxury of keeping his underwear. Once he was secured on the table, one of the twins took out a datapad and stuffed it in his face, just above his chest. He could read the translation off the screen:

_How did you escape?_

Steve stood still and didn't respond.

_Tell us now!_

"What's the point? You're just going to torture me after anyway. I'm not going to tell you anything. Do your worst! And, if you spoil me, then I won't be worth anything anymore. You should have just taken the deal. I'm not worth anything to anyone dead, and I won't talk, so either you let me go and take the money… or kill me now." Steve said.

_That's not good enough… we want something more real… why don't you tell us the truth, and we may consider letting you go._

"Just like that? I don't think so! You'll have to convince me you're going to let me go. First, why don't you take out that damn thing you put inside of me… then maybe we can talk." Steve proposed. The two females conversed with each other then turned their attention to the man.

_We will take the bomb out of you, but, if you don't answer all our questions after…_

"Oh save it! Just take it out, damn you!" Steve demanded. One of the two aliens took out the remote and deactivated the bomb. With a set of pliers, they pulled the spiky sphere out of him and cleaned off the blood.

_How did you escape? _They repeated.

"You see my hand? It didn't get like that on its own…" Steve answered.

_You used a poison on us… what was it?_

"Just something we bought at the warehouse just a few blocks from Goto's place." Steve answered.

_Whose idea was it to buy the poison and whose idea was it that allowed you to escape?_

"Does it matter? What difference does it make?" Steve was annoyed.

_Mira is a very smart lady… good competition. But we don't think she did this._

"Why? You don't want to believe she's better than you are?" Steve said.

_Don't try our patience… answer the question._

"What the hell do you want me to say? You already said you wouldn't believe it if I told you it was Mira's idea and Mira's skills that got us out… so then it must have been my idea. Happy?" Steve was completely uninterested.

_We can see you're going to be a lot of trouble for us… We want to ransom you… but we want more than you're offering… we want the TWO of them._

"What the hell are you talking about? My two blaster? Forget it! You have some damn blasters already! I'm not worth that much so back off!" Steve said. The two Twi'leks laughed. One of them pulled out a knife and waved it in front of his face.

_Who said we wanted your blasters? No, no… we are collectors you see. We are interesting in collectibles… rare things…_

The other twin pulled down his shorts.

_We will take your testicles… and the money and then you can go. It's so simple._ The Twi'lek smiled.

Steve started to yell, but the Twi'lek that held the knife just covered his mouth with her hand and handed over the knife to the other twin who accepted it graciously. Steve fought with all his might to break free of the hand that the twi'lek griped on his mouth. He violently shoved his head from side to side, and, eventually, he was able to scream out in comprehensible words:

"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING! STOP! YOU'RE MAKING A MISTAKE!"

The two aliens stopped and smiled at how easily they can find weaknesses in the human males they captured.

_We don't want your weapons and we don't want more money. We want to see you crawl against the sand back to that red head woman you came from… without your testicles._ They laughed.

"If you do this, Mira will kill you!" Steve bluffed.

_We are not afraid of her. She may have a more powerful ship, but ours is faster… by the time you get close enough for her to see we spoiled you… we will be long gone._

"You don't understand! To do this is like cutting off a leg… my life will be completely different! It would be like being stuck in a wheelchair for the rest of my life! You can't do this! I will never be the same! PLEASE DON'T." Steve fought violently. The two aliens enjoyed the torment they were inflicting. They were very pleased to hear how much of an impact it would make on this man's life if they took what they wanted from him. The twins stood there savoring the moment and picturing the naked man crawling through the dunes… and the look on Mira's face when she turns him over… Priceless.

"What do you want? I did it ok? It was my idea! I told you what you wanted to know! PLEASE DON'T!" Steve screamed frantically.

_We told you what we want… now hold still or it will damage you more than it needs to…_

One of the twins said as she placed the cold blade against his flesh. The other twin cupped his testicles between her hands and pulled them up to stretch out the scrotum while the other twin set the knife against it.

"I LIED, I LIED! I'm not Mira's apprentice! I'm worth much more that what we offer! You asked me how I got my wound? You were right; I was done by a lightsaber… by a Jedi. YOU DO THIS, YOU CUT MY BALLS OFF AND YOU'LL NEVER HEAR THE REST OF IT! I have powerful friends… if Mira doesn't kill you, they will! Don't throw your lives away! I'll tell you what you want to know. I don't care! I don't care about money; I don't care about my weapons… I would give you all I have, but I didn't want you to know how much I was really worth…" Steve pleaded and was so tired of struggling; all he could do was breath.

_We want to know who your friends are. We want to know who would pay the most for your release. It serves no purpose not to tell us. You only make it harder on yourself._

"If I tell you, if you know what I know… people will hunt you down… I'm not talking about bounty hunter scum like you; I'm talking about the most powerful people in the galaxy. I'm talking about the power of the Sith." Steve said.

_You don't look Sith to us… Mira would never hang around with a Sith._

"Oh really? Maybe it's because you don't know who the Sith really are. Maybe you don't know who she's friends with now… who I'm very close friends with…" Steve said.

_We're listening._

"Darth Revan." Steve said simply.

"Don't tell Mira I told you… I can't let her believe I'm weak… I'm not weak… and I if I tell you this, it's because it makes no difference to her if you know. She doesn't know Revan like I do… If Revan ever learns of this… She will suck whatever soul you have left within you and leave your corpse to rot. She will find you no matter where you hide… there is no escaping her." Steve bluffed.

_You are the first person so far who told us Revan was a woman… How did you know this?_

"How can anyone confuse her with a man? She's the most powerful being in the universe… she's a woman." Steve said.

_And how much are you worth to her?_

"I don't think you understand… Revan can kill you from half a galaxy away! If you ransom me, you will be dead the moment you set eyes on her. That's it… now you know too much. The only thing you can do now is choose if I'm worth both of your lives." Steve said.

_So are we supposed to just let you go?_

"If you want to live past this day… yes." Steve answered

_How can you guarantee she won't come after us if we let you go?_

"She won't do anything unless I tell her to." Steve said honestly.

_Why is that?_

"Because…" Steve could feel the blade wander about his flesh.

"Because she's my soul mate." He confessed.

_If you can prove this to us, we will let you go._

"In one piece? Just remember that if you tell anyone any of this… you will die. If you let me go, you need to forget this ever happened." Steve said.

_Just prove to us you are who you say you are and we will do whatever we think is best…_

"Tell me how you want me to prove, it and I will." Steve said.

_We have a relative in the Sith Empire. She told us much of the Sith, and of Revan. We will ask you questions only a true Sith would know the answers to._

"Very well." Steve answered.

What is the name of the leader of the academy on Korriban?

Steve closed his eyes and thought for a moment. He wasn't sure of this answer, but he had good reason to believe it:

"Master Uthar."

_What's hidden in the tomb of Naga Shadow?_

"A starmap… to the location of the Starforge." He closed his eyes and answered.

_Our last question… how old is Darth Revan now?_

"Thirty." He answered.

_You know your history well, but you were wrong about the first question…The leader of the academy is our relative… Yuthara …too bad._

The Twi'lek poked him with the knife.

"NO! NO! NO!" Steve cried out. The twins laughed hard.

_Just kidding, you were right… our cousin just loves to believe she will take over the academy some day… Still... we can think of no greater torment for a young man your age than to be castrated… Though we can't take the chance that what you're telling us is true. We will let you go… and if we discover you lied… we will take more that just your testicles._

Steve finally opened his eyes to read what was written. The twins finally set him free. They let him get dressed and escorted him back halfway to Mira's fighter. Mira didn't expect to see them so soon, but, when she saw them coming, she got out to meet them.

"Woo esten aapares tenn choota." They told her.

"Take the money and leave." Mira said as she handed over whatever credits were left; the same credits that was promised to her. When she handed the credits over, Steve was released. Mira took him back to her ship. When they were in, they immediately took off and followed their previous course to Telos.

Mira sat back in her chair and looked at Steve's terrified face.

"What the hell happened? You look terrible." Mira said.

"I'd rather not talk about it." Steve said as he looked through the hyperspace window in silence.

"I just want to help… please tell me. How did you manage to convince them to take our offer?" Mira pleaded.

"I told the truth… I really just hope it won't change anything." Steve admitted.

"And they just let you go?" Mira was confused.

"It wasn't that simple…" Steve trembled.

"No. I bet they wanted to perform some kind of silly torture experiment on you…" Mira teased. When she saw the look on Steve, she knew it was true.

"Well come on, you're a tough little guy. You can take it! It's not like they wanted to cut off your…" Mira stared into the horror that lingered in her friend's eyes.

"They didn't! No, no, no, no… Tell me they didn't!" Mira was ready to strip Steve and find out for herself.

"They didn't. But, for the longest time, I was sure it was unavoidable…" Steve was so terrible ashamed of himself he didn't dare look in Mira's eyes. Mira sighed loudly and got back in her seat.

"So why do you look like you do? If they didn't do it… it's all ok now, isn't it?" Mira asked. Steve shook his head in disappointment.

"No, I… I went in there with confidence… I was sure they couldn't make me talk… They broke me… I'm… I'm not as strong as I thought I was." Steve admitted.

"Oh please… don't give me that crap. Look at you… you made it out in one piece, that's all that matters to you isn't it?" Mira asked. She knew Steve wasn't the proud soldier type; he was just a young man, not a warrior. He didn't believe in that being-strong-until-death bullshit.

"You don't understand… they offered to let me go even if I didn't talk… All I had to do was be strong… I couldn't do it… So much was going through my mind. All they wanted was to… to take my…" Steve couldn't continue.

"It's all right Steve… I understand. No one would suggest that you sacrifice your penis just for some silly secret." Mira understood full well that the information Steve revealed wasn't very important. It wasn't like the bounty hunters could do anything about it… not if they were smart. Revan and her group were in a very safe place.

"Actually, they wanted to castrate me… that's much worse..." Steve shook his head at the thought and Mira gave him big eyes.

"Those bitches! Hey, just forget about it ok? Come on, Steve. Look at me." Mira said as she turned his face towards her.

"You did all right… in fact, you were better than all right. Look what we've been through! And we're still perfectly alive and well. I can understand you get scared sometimes, we all do! All you can do is forget about it. Just get some sleep, and we can talk when you feel better." Mira said. Steve nodded and closed his eyes. Mira took another look at the controls and dimmed the light. Mira wanted to rest as well.

Steve couldn't sleep long. He opened his eyes and went to the back of the cockpit. He pulled out the bench and sat on it. He opened the light just above him and slipped out of the top of his outfit. He looked at his wound. He still shook from the dream he had. He imagined there was still a bomb in there. He knew it was just a dream, but he was afraid. He felt safer just looking into the wound for himself. As he already knew… there was nothing in there. Mira was awake now and looked in Steve's direction.

"What is it?" Mira asked.

"Oh nothing; just my mind playing games on me. I feel better now." Steve said and managed a smirk. Mira got off her chair and came closer to Steve. He was looking through the med kit. When he found a large patch, he stuck it at the opening of his wound. He knew that made no difference, but it made him feel a lot more comfortable. He felt so naked when his wound was showing. It was an awful black hole with slimy things inside.

"Hey, you know, you still have a promise to fulfill…" Mira started. Steve looked up into her beautiful eyes and gave her his full attention.

"Do you think maybe we can… I mean you don't have to if you don't want to but… would it be ok if we made love?" Mira asked.

"Mira… I… I'm still not perfectly healed…" Steve started. Mira placed a hand gently on his mouth and said.

"You can still do it, can't you?" Mira asked. Steve nodded slowly and Mira let her hand slide down his lips.

"I can be gentle… It won't hurt, I promise." Mira said before she started to take off her green clothes. She wore a very small vest with a tight tank top that let her skinny belly show. Steve found that very attractive and equally as distracting. Perhaps that was its true purpose. Steve watched as he helped himself get out of his suit. It wasn't easy to do with only one good hand. When Mira was naked, she crouched down and helped Steve slip his underwear off. When she was done, she stood up and approached him more. Steve bent forward a little, kissed her on the belly button and pressed his check on her belly to feel her warmth as he slipped his hand around her hips and around her back. Mira pressed against him and sandwiched him between herself and the wall. Then she squatted very gently down on him. She placed her hands on his shoulders and kissed him on the lips.

When the storm of passion and fire calmed down to but a steady river, Steve stroked Mira's gentle body with his arms and face. Mira explored him with her hands and eyes; drifting against his excessively smooth skin.

"What about Revan?" She asked.

"What about her?" Steve whispered as he stroked the woman's red hair with his hand.

"Isn't she your… girlfriend?" Mira asked.

"Oh, she's much more than that." Steve said.

"Well?" Mira was still unsure where this act placed her.

"You really don't have to worry about her… I mean, you're just making love to me because you feel you need to right?" Steve asked.

"Well… ya. You could say that. I mean, I really like you. I really do, but not like she does." Mira said.

"Well, then what's the problem?" Steve asked.

"Well, isn't she… gonna know?" Mira asked.

"Of course: she probably already knew we would… before we even left." Steve said.

"Really?" Mira was curious.

"Sure. Revan isn't the type to be… possessive. She's a lot like me in that regard. She doesn't get jealous. In fact, I'm sure she's happy… just thinking about how much more pleasant our lives are when we…" Steve started.

"Well, what I'm saying is… you live with us… we are family now. The more joy we can spread around, the better. I don't think it would be fair if we didn't make love… I mean how dull would it be if we lived together without sex… It's so much better this way. You'll see. Remember how happy Revan was to send me off with you?" Steve said.

"Are you sure?" Mira said as she looked straight down into his eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"She and I are one, I feel what she fells… and she feels what I feel. Believe me, she knows how I think. Whenever you need it… well maybe it would be better to wait a little… until I heal completely… but after that, just ask. I'll be glad to assist you." Steve said.

"Assist me?" Mira said as she held his head in her hands and made him look into her eyes. Steve laughed.

"All right… I'd love to make love to you again… happy?" Steve smiled. Mira laughed.

"What about the Echani?" She asked out of the blue. Steve giggled at the thought.

"Are you kidding me? They lived without it for so long… I don't think they even think about that kind of stuff." Steve admitted.

"What if they get the idea somehow?" Mira asked seriously.

"Look… you know as well as I do… well, I mean, I suspect… that the older Echani… well she may be… you know, different. And the other one, well… I think she likes me, but, well, she's… ehm… a little more professional… than we are." Steve said.

"Well, that still doesn't answer the question." Mira teased.

"Well, what do you think? Do you think it would be fair to deny them anything? What about you eh? What if the older Echani sees you in the shower or something and… well DOES something? What would you do?" Steve teased her.

"Ha! She doesn't even like me! It's not the same at all." Mira said.

"Well, it doesn't mean she can't be attracted to you." Steve observed.

"Oh please! You're getting silly ideas." She laughed.

"Hey, you started it! Look, I'm sure nothing's going to happen with the Echani… they are simply… more in control. Let's not complicate things." Steve said. They both fell silent for a moment.

"What about your other friend… Bastila." Mira said. Steve smiled.

"Bastila… such a beautiful woman… She's a Jedi, there's no chance in the world… Doesn't matter anyway. I love her too much to let her get involved with me. She's too important, even I understand that. I wouldn't let her… jeopardize her career for… for that." Steve said honestly.

"What if she really wants it? What if she begs you?" Mira asked curiously.

"Bastila Shan doesn't beg for anything." Steve answered honestly.

"You know what I mean. What if you KNOW she really wants it but doesn't _actually_ beg for it?" Mira was curious.

"It's not that simple. It would take time for her to… to get the idea set in the proper perspective. I'd say, if she does ever… ask for it, I would have to make her think about it properly. Only if she's sure… then I would." Steve said honestly.

"That's cute. You're a strange little man, you know that?" Mira smiled.

"Well, you're very strange yourself… in a very good way." Steve said.

"Oh I'm strange?" Mira teased as she rubbed his chest.

"You don't think you're strange? I thing you're too wonderful to be normal." He said honestly.

"Don't you want to know how I became a bounty huntress?" Mira asked after a moment of reflection.

"Not unless you think you need to tell me." Steve answered.

"See what I mean? Aren't you even curious?" Mira asked.

"Mira, I… I don't think I want to know. As much as I would love to know how you became such a wonderful person… there is one thing about you I don't want to know… and that's anything that has to do with your job. It's just a job Mira. I'm really not interested in knowing how unfair of a world it is to have a need for such a…a profession." Steve said.

"If you need the credits Mira, I'm sure Revan and I can arrange something for you… so you don't ever have to… to hunt anymore." Steve said.

"That's nice of you to offer Steve, but you already made sure I would never need the credits anymore. Besides, I like to take care of myself, pay my own way." Mira said.

"What do you mean by that? What difference does it make? It's not like you aren't contributing anything in exchange…" Steve said.

"I guess not. I don't know. I've been working solo for so long now. I just have to get comfortable having people depend on me… like you." She said.

"I understand. It's a different life, but you seem to fit right in. Who would have thought a bounty huntress of your skill could ever be a family person?" Steve teased.

"Family… I like that word. That's how you really feel about it, isn't it?" Mira asked.

"Well, yes. To me, it's the same. I left my home and family behind by coming here. But I knew this is where I belong. And I like it here. Everything feels so much more… real here. And I love my new family." Steve said as he embraced Mira affectionately.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8. A Complete Individual

Mira's small fighter vessel carefully landed in the shadow of the larger vessel, the Ebon Hawk. Upon exiting the ship, Mira and Steve were greeted by everyone. Revan threw up a shinny object in Steve's direction and said:

"Catch!" The cylinder shaped object bounced off the man's good hand, but, with a quick recovery, Steve was able to press it against himself to keep it from sliding down. He took it in his hand and looked at it carefully. It was a brand new lightsaber.

"Is this what I think it is?" Steve finally said to Revan who nodded at the question.

"Thanks!" He said before igniting the white beam.

"How hot do they get?" Steve was curious.

"Touch it." Revan smirked. Steve did as he was told and placed the blade against his good palm. He instantly retracted his hand and looked at his palm. It didn't seem to be burnt at all. He touched the blade again for a second and got a better feel its operating temperature.

"I made it so you can feel the pain if you get hit, but it only starts to burn you after 7 or 8 seconds of contact…" Revan added.

"Perfect. I love it. Thank you so much." Steve said.

"That's not all." Revan approached the man and handed over a bag. Steve looked into it and saw five more identical lightsabers.

"Waw! Are they all for training?" Steve asked.

"Yes. I made two for you because I know what you want… and I made two for me in case I feel like trying it too. And I made two for Bastila… if she ever decides to use them." Revan answered.

"Bastila. When is she coming over?" Steve asked. Revan smiled and said:

"Tomorrow. She's on her way now."

Steve had a huge smile on his face. He kissed Revan on the lips and wrapped his arm around her.

"Amazing." He said after the long kiss they shared.

"I need to speak to you… and Mira too. I'd like for you to come with me in the common room please." Revan said. Mira nodded and followed the couple to the common room. They sat facing each other quietly for a moment. Steve didn't need to be a Jedi to know Mira felt a little awkward. That meant Revan could feel it from miles away…

"Mira, I'd like to know what you found out." Revan asked the redhead.

"Not much… There's a lot of action in the exchange, but it's been like that forever. Goto has many enemies, but none of what I heard could lead to a war or anything… it's all business." Mira answered.

"Are you sure?" Revan asked. Mira thought about it for a moment while Revan looked into her mind.

"Yes, I'm sure." Mira finally said. Revan nodded and turned her head to Steve.

"I've been meditating most of my time here… There's something we need to speak of in private…" Revan said to Steve while gently holding his broken hand. Steve hesitated for a moment then got up to follow her into the hallway. Mira looked a little troubled, but she didn't see any negative reaction from Revan… or Steve for that matter.

When the couple was far enough into the hallway, they stopped and turned to face each other.

"There's something important that I want to talk to you about… It's about you…" Revan said.

"I… me?" Steve was puzzled. Revan placed a hand on his lips to shush him gently and continued:

"Just listen for a moment." She said. Steve nodded and gave the woman all of his attention.

"Do you remember that day on the Jedi ship… the day we spent in each other's arms… during the transference?" Revan begun. Steve nodded.

"You gave me all my powers back…. but you gave me even more than that…" Revan said.

"I know… you gave me a part of you as well during our first…" Steve said before Revan shushed him again.

"Shush baby… shhhuuu." She whispered.

"It's not the same… there is something about you… that's different, Steve." Revan said.

"You have something inside of you. I see it constantly… and I'm the only one who can see it." Revan said.

"What are you talking about?" Steve risked saying before being shushed again. It seemed Revan was just taking breaks rather than waiting for a reply.

"You, Steve, I'm talking about you… or a part of you that you don't really know about." She began. Steve raised an eyebrow.

"There's a strong presence in the force… just inside of you." She said while placing her hand on his belly.

"It seems you have no interaction with it, no… connection to it… at least, not on a conscious level." She explained.

"I can't feel the force, you know that…" Steve said just before being shushed again.

"Let me finish… don't say anything baby…." Revan whispered.

"It's not what you think it is. I can see it very clearly and… I can feel it… but I too can't… communicate with it. It doesn't want to communicate." She said.

"I believe… My theory is… that it's as much who you are… as you are it" She said. Steve was very puzzled.

"Haven't you noticed how you can affect people so much?" Revan asked.

"Well, yes. But not… well isn't that just because I'm different? Oh…" He said. Revan nodded and continued.

"You are different Steve, but more than you know. Wherever you go, and I've experimented this with you, but, everywhere you go, you seem to modify the will of the force. It's as though you can rewrite the will of the force as you interact with people." She observed.

"At first, I didn't think of it that way: I was sure it was just you… well, in everyway, I still think it's just because of you… but this thing you have inside of you… it is you." She was almost confusing herself. It was still all theoretical to her.

"You can change people's minds… but, at the same time, you change the force around you." She continued.

"What I am trying to say is… I have a piece of that within me as well now. Though it's just a fraction of… of you, it doesn't go away. And it doesn't… communicate." She said.

"I've tested with it, tried to make it react to the light and dark side of the force… It simply doesn't change." She paused.

"My theory, Steve, is that it… or you, were made to use this… somewhere where it was needed the most… somewhere where there is much confusion in the force… somewhere where there is great danger to all life… where the force has failed." Revan said.

"I… I didn't know such a place existed…" Steve said honestly.

"I know of a place… I've seen things before… things people have never witnessed before. This place, this… abomination… I first saw it at Malachor 5. It was the location of the Mandalorian's last battle, the day of our victory…" Revan said.

"Many people died there… no, everyone who was on the planet died there… The force… died there. It was like a cancer, Steve, a cancer in the force. I've never seen something like that before… but it's spreading, Steve. In an unpredictable pattern, I might add." Revan said.

"You think I… I'm meant to stop this… this plague?" Steve asked in concern.

"I think… no, I know… you are the cure of this cancer." Revan answered.

"But if it's just a dead planet, what is there to cure?" Steve was puzzled.

"That planet wasn't dead before, Steve… none of the places where this… cancer… is striking was ever meant to be doomed that way." Revan answered.

"So what's causing it?" Steve said.

"I can't answer that… but I do know someone who can. There is still something left at Malachor 5, a presence… It doesn't stay there though… and I can't track this presence… but it's someone I know well." Revan said.

"How come you can't track it if it's someone you know well? You're the most powerful woman…" Steve was saying until Revan shushed him again.

"She was a mentor of mine, someone of great power and knowledge. She can't be tracked easily." Revan clarified.

"Is she dangerous?" Steve asked in concern.

"Maybe… but not to us." Revan said simply.

"How will we find this old friend of yours?" Steve asked.

"Hopefully, Bastila will aid us…" Revan said.

"What if I can't do what it is you want me to do?" Steve was uncertain.

"You…you're made to do this, Steve. There's no other explanation for this." Revan said.

"Revan… there… doesn't have to be a reason for everything…" Steve said. Revan placed her hand back on his belly to reassure herself before convincing Steve.

"Something tells me this is your destiny… The force tells me so… but not the part of the force I usually hear." Revan said.

"What are you talking about? I thought you said there wasn't any communication…" Steve said and was shushed yet again.

"It's not what I call communication… it's something completely different. I can't explain it to you, but I did say I can feel it, didn't I?" Revan said.

"Well anyway, I feel this… I do. My hand feels it now… and my heart feels it. And the part of yourself I have within me… I feel it, always." Revan explained.

"Ok Revan, say I believe you; why haven't you told me this before?" Steve asked curiously.

"Because… because I couldn't even explain it to myself." Revan said.

"So why do you seem so distant Revan? What's bothering you baby?" Steve was concerned.

"I feel like I used you, from the very beginning. I feel like you were a lab animal part of my experiments all along. And now, it's as though you finally know what you are… and what I'm doing." Revan admitted.

"No, Revan, I love you! I love you so much! Nothing baby, nothing, can get between us." Steve said as he held the woman by the shoulders.

"I know how you feel Steve, I always know how you feel. But… I know who I am, I know who I was. I know why I brought you here. Now that you… now that you're on a different mission… I feel like I've always been acting… selfish about you." Revan said.

"Selfish? No baby, you're confused. What you feel is love. It's not the same at all. Selfish is when you only care about yourself. Is that how you feel, Revan? Do you only care for yourself?" Steve asked.

"No… no of course not." Revan admitted.

"So how do you explain why I brought you here?" Revan wasn't convinced.

"You were a little different then, Revan. Still, I don't think it was selfishness that brought me here. You had some things to do here, things that needed to be fixed. You brought me here to finish what you started, to halt the war… You did it for others, like you always did everything for others." Steve said.

"And why do I feel selfish now? I know what I'm asking you to do… and I know it's more risky than anything else I've ever made you do. And now I keep feeling like I don't want you to go. Steve, I've seen the future… I fear for your life." She said.

"You don't want me to go because you don't want me to die… or fail… not because you care too much about our relationship to risk it." Steve said.

"Why else would you tell me all of this if you weren't sure we would go on this… new mission?" Steve asked.

"I'm not saying we aren't going, I'm saying I worry about you… now, more than ever." She said honestly.

"There's nothing wrong with that. I want to know something though, Revan: Why do you love me?" Steve asked honestly.

"Why do you ask me that?" Revan was uneasy about the question.

"I want to be sure it's not because of some kind of crazy phenomenon in the force that makes you feel the way you do… about me." Steve said honestly.

"I knew about this crazy phenomenon when I found you, Steve… but I never linked it to the way I love you… until just now. Still, I … I really want to believe you ARE this crazy phenomenon and not the other way around: I want to believe it's you who is responsible for this presence in the force. I thought I knew all about the force until I met you… now I can't be sure of anything… I'm so confused…" She answered. Steve held her in his arms in a delicate matter.

"You think this thing found its way inside me… but wasn't responsible for my creation. Is that it?" Steve whispered into her ear as he rocked her sideways.

"Yes, that's it exactly." Revan whispered back.

"I want to believe it too. You love me anyway right? That's all that matters. I'll do whatever you want me to do. And I know you won't act selfishly, but with love… and compassion for everything we are trying to protect." Steve said.

"You are the perfect leader Revan. And the woman of my life. My confidence in you is unimaginable. You WILL find a way to make everything better, even if it means you have to let go of something… of me. Our love... is eternal. You will always be a part of me, and I will always be a part of you. Don't be afraid, instead, just try and find me wherever you are… look for me inside of you… not just that presence you are talking about, but ME. If you can do that Revan, it'll mean you can do anything." Steve said and then kissed the woman passionately.

After their discussion, Steve and Revan made their way to their room. Once there, Steve unpacked his things.

"What would you like to do until Bastila arrives?" Revan asked him.

"I'd like to get my hand fixed so we can spar with our new lightsabers." Steve said after thinking about it.

"Why do you want to spend… your time like that?" Revan asked as she though they may be his last moments.

"What do you mean?" Steve was curious.

"Well, we don't have much time before… before we leave for our mission. I thought you would like to spend you time… with your friends… it may be your last chance to speak to them…" Revan said softly.

"I think that's the opposite of what I want… You see, I don't want anyone to know this may be our last mission together… no. I don't want that. Why cause pain that may be for nothing? No. I don't think it's right to… to make them even more attached to me just before… well, you understand don't you?" Steve said.

"Why not? Most people who know they are about to… well, they usually want to say things; give their last words, their last opinions…" Revan said.

"You know exactly what I would say to everyone don't you? That's why I refuse to do that to them. It would be too painful for everyone… just think about it, you see this all the time: Someone dies in your arms and tells you he loves you… the moment he dies, how would you feel?" Steve asked.

"Horrible…" Revan admitted.

"Exactly what I don't want. I want them to know, deep in their hearts, that I love them very, very much… but I don't want to tell them I will die because it will trigger… pain." Steve said.

"What about after… after you… What then? Will it be alright to tell them?" Revan asked.

"I suppose. It would still cause pain, but maybe it would be appropriate that they hear how I want to be remembered…" Steve said.

"Let's just… let's just keep our minds busy with something else for now… About or sparing, I'd like to do it on the surface, in the snow. Just some big wide open space with plenty of light… We could borrow some Echani boots and gloves and just spend our time together, doing something we could enjoy, without being distracted…" Steve said.

"All right. Let's get your hand fixed and we can do that." Revan said.

Revan brought Steve into the holding room… the one that contained the three force cages and the medical instruments. She took off the brace Steve had on his hand and inspected it carefully.

"Wow… that's some pretty heavy damage… how did you do this?" Revan asked.

"Long story. I needed to do it to escape the bounty hunters…" Steve said simply.

"Well, there's no way we can get this to heal on time… we'll have to reinforce your bones the hard way…" Revan said.

"The hard way?" Steve was concerned. Revan took out a briefcase and opened it. Inside were tools made for small operations… scalpels, blood pumps, needles, scissors, tweezers, clamps and so on. Steve looked into the case and shivered as a cold sensation ran up his spine.

"That hard way…" Steve understood.

"Don't worry, we have some powerful painkillers; you'll be able to move your hand like normal… but you won't feel a thing." Revan reassured him.

"I trust you." Steve said. Revan injected a solution into his hand to numb it and organized all her tools on the table beside them for easy access. Then she was performing her magic. She cut the surface of the skin and pulled it apart to have a good look inside. She used the clamps to spread the small muscles and tendons out of the way and pumped out all the blood that was constantly filling up his hand. She could see the shattered bones clearly now. She installed some strong materials around Steve's severed bones to keep the structure together and added some force distributors at each end of the small bones so that whatever forces circulated into his hand went around the outside of his bones where the artificial parts were installed. It was a very difficult task because his small bones were tightly packed in between all the other tissues. She had to make many incisions to reach all the bones. Overlooking the procedure, Steve admired her precision. Her patience and her wisdom in combination with the confidence she felt through the force allowed her to perform a near perfect surgical operation. Revan seated Steve's muscles and tendons back into place, closed up all the lacerations she had made and sucked out the blood with the pump. With a quick laser stitching, his hand almost looked decent…

"Thank you Revan." He said.

The couple left the holding room to go to the large closet that was near the changing room. They went into the closet to pick out two pairs of gloves and boots. As they searched for suitable sizes, Revan said:

"You made love to Mira?"

"Yes." Steve admitted.

"Was it a good experience for you?" She asked.

"It was." Steve said. He sighed and looked down at his feet.

"What's wrong?" Revan asked.

"I just… well I just hoped I would get another chance. I promised her I would be there for her. And… and now I can't. It was a new experience for me, you know. I just expected that… well that I would experience more of what life here has to offer." Steve said. The both of them fell silent for a moment.

"Revan." Steve whispered to the woman. Revan looked at him and waited.

"When… if I die… I'd like for you to watch over Mira, Bastila and the handmaidens… keep them together… don't let them separate. That way, if I become one with the force, I'll be able to watch over you. I'll be able to stay here… with my family. I want you to try and make things as comfortable as they can be for everyone." Steve asked.

"I intend to." Revan promised.

"There are so many things I'm going to miss…" Steve said.

"I would have loved to see the handmaidens embrace their freedom… and I would have loved to see Mira become something else than a bounty huntress. But most of all, I would have loved to see Bastila become the greatest Jedi knight the galaxy has known… and I would have loved to see people recognize you as a hero again." Steve said slowly.

At that moment, Mira stepped in the closet, out of curiosity.

"Where are you going?" Mira asked. Steve and Revan weren't sure what Mira overheard, so they didn't know exactly what the redhead meant by the question, but, because the couple was fitting on some boots, Steve thought of an appropriate response:

"We're going up to the surface to do some lightsaber sparing."

"You're going to fight Revan with a lightsaber?" Mira was surprised.

"Yep. Just for the fun of it." Steve smiled. Mira smirked and said:

"Can I come watch?"

"I guess, if you want to. If it's ok with Revan." Steve looked at his soul mate for approval.

"Of course she can watch. If there's someone in here that could be distracted by an audience, it's you." Revan teased the man.

"Great! Wait, I'll get the handmaidens too; I'm sure they would love to watch as well." Mira said and turned around in a flash.

"Meet us at the surface!" Steve yelled at the redhead, who was already out of the closet.

Steve went to pick up the bag of lightsabers from Revan's room and ran up to the surface.

"Which ones are mine again?" Steve asked. Revan looked in the bag and took out two hilts and handed them to him. Steve set one of them in the snow and held the other one in his hand. Revan picked up one of hers and backed up a few meters. Steve placed some distance between himself and the bag. The audience finally arrived. The two Echani women stood up near the bag and Mira sat comfortably down in the soft snow.

A white beam shun from the hilt Steve held in his hand. Just a few meters ahead of him, a red beam appeared. Steve waved his lightsaber around for show and stepped forward. Revan did something similar and stood in her favorite form to begin the match. Steve was the first to attack. His speed was easily matched as he frantically demanded more from his body. Just like the time before, he had to ready himself physically for this task. He felt a little slow at first, just like with Juhani. However, he felt much more confident. He was building up some noticeable speed, everyone could see this. It was the first time he actually had an audience… and it was the first time it didn't matter. He was soon attacking with the agility of a Jedi knight, just as he left off from his encounter with the Cathar. It seemed he was never reaching his peak though; he kept improving. When Revan felt it was time, she pushed him more and more. She forced him to improve. She was happy to see him like this. Soon, she was too much for him to handle and she landed a few hits. Steve didn't want to give up just yet, he felt good about himself. A few more minutes past, and, when he was too tired to keep up with Revan, he surrendered to the gentle poke of her warm lightsaber.

"Give me… a few… more minutes. I want to try with two lightsabers." Steve said in between breaths.

He went back to the bag and picked up the other hilt. He walked around and calmed his breathing as his heart rate decreased. When he was calm enough, he activated the two lightsabers and moved back into position. Revan anticipated his readiness and waited for him with a ready blade. This time, Steve was fast from the start. It was Revan who had trouble keeping up. She had an extra blade to worry about this time, and Steve had no handicap using one hand per weapon. He was obviously diverse in his skills. It was rare to find people who were confident with two lightsabers. Revan had to use the force to increase her speed. She increased it slowly, giving herself time to test Steve's capability. She eventually matched his speed and gave a very good show. Revan predicted Steve would tire soon, and, before that time came, she gave it all she had. She used the force to speed her mind and muscles to a similar point Steve had done when he fought Malak. It was very hard to see her movement. Her blade was but a flash when she struck. It was hard to tell if the crimson blade was just beginning a move or ending one. Steve tried his hardest to defend himself but couldn't predict his soul mate at this speed. He was still capable of attacking though. He took a few hits and only gave up when he was too exhausted to strike.

"Give yourself a few minutes, and then I want to try it with two…" Revan smirked. She was very pleased with Steve's performance.

"Did you see that?" The older handmaiden asked to her sister.

"Yes I did. It was beautiful… just beautiful. I've never seen anything like it… Their love… is so pure." The younger handmaiden replied. Her sister nodded.

Steve had a giant smile. He sat down next to Mira and looked at all of the spectators to see if they were enjoying the show. Everyone seemed to be very interested… even mesmerized.

"How did I do?" Steve asked his redhead friend.

"Unbelievable… just amazing. I've known a few Jedi… but I've never seen anything like that before. You were truly exceptional. And Revan… She's insane! I can't wait to see her pick up another blade!" Mira was amused.

"You were both… unbelievable." The older Echani said. Steve looked up at the two white women and smiled.

"Thank you." He said to everyone.

"I can't wait until Bastila gets here." Steve added. If there was one person this kind of exercise could help, it was Bastila. This day gave him great confidence that he could finally give something back to Bastila, something that she could remember of him forever… even if Steve only had very little time to teach her something. He just thought he would feel superb to set her in the right direction; he had an idea.

Steve was rested enough to begin again. This time, he had to fight an adversary that wielded two lightsabers… that was a most difficult task for someone who didn't feel the force… and an impossible challenge when facing the most powerful woman in the galaxy. Still, Steve was very excited. Revan activated her two lightsabers. One of which was orange, a most peculiar color for anyone to wield. It suited the woman though. It was a symbol of her uniqueness. The flashy colors also served to appeal the spectators. The battle began as usual. Oddly enough, Steve was already comfortable considering it was his first time against dual lightsabers. If he had only one blade, he would be in so much trouble. Still, he learned very quickly that he was capable of defending himself fairly well just because he had the skills. However, it was also Revan's first time with two lightsabers. She too was capable of incredibly fast improvement. In a very short time, she had the upper hand without even speeding her movements with the force. Shortly after that, she was invincible. She was playing around with Steve; tricking him and nudging him with her blades. She didn't over do it this time; she didn't need to demonstrate anything. Instead, she concentrated on a new perception… she was actually enjoying herself. And it wasn't just because she was challenging her lover but because she finally began to share his passion for the art. The sparring that was always a duty, or a mean of defense, became a way for her to remember Steve. She finally saw that it wasn't always a battle being fought or a preparation for a future conflict; she began to see it through Steve's eyes. To him, this was an expression of the joy he could find in the simplest things… and the things that were taken for granted. Like the many of his feelings, they flowed into her like a misty cloud. She felt wonderful. She kept teasing him and testing him until it was time to stop.

"That was fun, I really enjoyed myself…" Revan smiled. Steve was bending forward to catch his breath and then looked up into her eyes to give a most adorable smile.

"How did you like the second lightsaber?" Steve asked.

"I think it's great! When I get accustomed to it… it'll be really amazing." Revan said.

"I feel safer with two blades. I know you don't need the extra blade, but, if it makes you feel better too, that's all that matter. How come you never tried it before?" Steve asked.

"It's… well it's unorthodox. Some people do it, but it's rare. I guess I just never really thought of it. Even if I did, I probably wouldn't feel the same way about it as I do now… because of you." Revan said to him.

"I think that's all I have for today. I'd like to keep my strength for tomorrow, when Bastila arrives. Besides, it's a lot harder on your wrists to use two lightsabers…" Steve said as he placed his hilts back in the bag and moved his hands around to get rid of the stiffness in his forearms.

"Well, that was fun to watch! So you're going to be doing this tomorrow?" Mira asked the man.

"Yes we will!" Steve was happy.

"Don't start without me!" Mira said.

"We'd like to see it too. This was a most interesting experience for us as well." The last handmaiden said as she looked at her sister.

"What did you see in our battle? Any communication that you could see?" Steve asked curiously.

"Oh yes! But nothing you don't already know." The last of the handmaidens said as she smiled at the couple. Steve smiled back and walked back inside with everyone.

"I think we should have a big meal tonight and go to sleep early." Revan suggested to everyone. Everyone agreed.

"It's great that we are all finally just enjoying life together instead of chancing around the galaxy." Mira said. Steve looked at her in a sort of sadness but faked a smile not to spoil the mood. Revan also shared his distress, but no one noticed it, except Steve whose eyes were telling her she should keep a positive attitude.

"I'm glad you feel that way, Mira. Hopefully, one day, things are going to be better and more people are going to feel the way you do." Steve was optimistic.

"I think we are all off to a better start; things are finally quieting down." Mira agreed.

The evening meal was incredible. It had been carefully prepared by the two Echani women. Though Steve and Revan kept quieter than usual to avoid bringing their mission into the conversation, everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. After the long meal, Steve and Revan retired to their room. They felt like there was so much they needed to share, but they simply couldn't think of much. Death wasn't easy for anyone to talk about. Still, Steve didn't fear death as much as he expected to. Perhaps he cared too much for his mission to think of himself, though he knew he had so much to lose. He just wanted to spend the night cuddled against Revan and sleep. It was hard for him to sleep though; he was far too excited that Bastila was coming.

Early in the morning, he was in between a sleeping state and a conscious level. His brain was on a lookout for any signs of Bastila's arrival. It made him very sensitive to all noises and vibrations. He was still dreaming, but he was conscious of Revan's every breath and motion as she slept. It didn't bother him at all. In fact, he was thinking more and more about her. Eventually, his conscious thoughts overpowered his sleep and he woke up. He couldn't let go of Revan; he didn't stop looking at her. He put his good hand underneath the bed sheet, placed it onto of her belly and synchronized it with her breathing. As her belly filled with air, Steve's hand followed up with it. He was so comfortable with this woman. Soon, he felt an incredible urge. It wasn't what he was accustomed to… it was somewhat different this time. He didn't only feel he wanted to make love to her, he also felt he needed to. He had the urge to reproduce, to create life, to conceive with this woman. It wasn't something this coupe had previously discussed. Steve believed Revan was far too busy to have children. He also thought she wasn't raised to be a family person. It wasn't the Jedi way, and it certainly wasn't something a dedicated leader thought much about, considering all of the responsibilities she already had. He thought about himself for a moment. He was young, perhaps too young to be a parent. But he also felt too young. He felt he wasn't ready for it, yet, in this moment, he really wanted to. He thought it was a terrible idea though. He felt horrible about it because he knew he may not be around to take care of the child. He also didn't think Revan would feel right about bringing a child in the world without a father. Revan woke up to her companion's unease. She opened her eyes and lifted her upper body up with her elbows and looked at the man. Steve didn't move, he just kept his hand on her belly and looked back at her. Revan looked into his mind to see what was troubling him. Then she wrapped her arms around him, pulled him against her bosom and said:

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Do you?" Was Steve's way of saying yes.

"Let's talk about it then." Revan said softly.

"I don't want to risk impregnating you unless you're sure about it. I'm going crazy right now… It's a terrible idea, I know, but I've had some strange ideas lately. I'm finally coming to realize that I'm nearing my end… and I feel like I have some unfinished business that I'd be leaving behind. I've never though of this before; not to this extent." Steve said.

"It's a little late now, don't you think?" Revan whispered.

"I know. That's why I feel so terrible. It's like it's my last chance and it's making me crazy…" Steve said.

"Baby… I feel terrible too. I feel so… guilty that we haven't talked about this before. I wish we had more time to think about it." Revan admitted.

"It's not your fault, Revan. I could have mentioned it before too. I just didn't think I would ever feel the way I do now. I wasn't ready for it then… now I… now it's like I don't have a choice." Steve paused.

"You know how I feel now, and I know I may not live to change my mind about it… I need to know what you think… and please, be honest to yourself. If you have any doubt, any doubt at all… just say no." Steve said. Revan was lost in her thoughts for a moment.

"I think we should let fate decide… I don't want to look into the future about this. I want it to feel real. I would love to carry your child. I love you more than anything in the world. Just because it's not… professional, it doesn't mean it isn't right." She was sincere.

"I'm so happy you feel that way. I love you so much!" Steve said. Revan threw herself on top of him and kissed him profusely.

Their love making was so passionate, so intense, that Revan didn't even feel the arrival of Bastila Shan. The couple was completely devoted to the pleasures of love making. Not another thought entered their mind for well over an hour. In between orgasms, Steve never let go of the woman, pleasing her in every way he knew about. It was but a single long moment of intense sensations that was as much mental as physical. It was as though it never needed to end. After the third try, the couple felt another time wouldn't improve their chances much. Though they would have loved to continue, they had other concerns. When it was over, their bodies were covered in sweat and they felt very comfortable in their warmth. They put on as little clothing as they could and headed straight for the shower room. They adjusted the water to keep the warm sensation of their fire. They cleaned each other as well as they could and dried themselves. The couple got dressed and finally ventured out into the facility.

Bastila was already in the common room, receiving the younger Echani's hospitality and friendship. Mira was also there to meet the Jedi she had heard so much about. As Revan and Steve arrived in the room, Bastila could feel the heat pouring out of the couple. It wasn't a sensation she was accustomed to, but she respected it.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting Bastila, welcome home." Revan had a giant smile, and Bastila could see the older woman's grip tighten on the hand of her mate. Steve shared the same smile and was practically pushing Revan, leaning a part his weight against her shoulder to stay stuck to her, to never let her go.

"I've been anxiously waiting to see you again Bastila, welcome home." He finally said. The young Jedi felt all the joy in this facility, and it made her very happy. Her face also expressed her feelings.

"This place feels much better than the first time we were here. I can only assume it because the both of you live here now. It's amazing how much you make things feel so right." Bastila complemented the couple.

"We're just so glad you're here now. With you, this place is complete." Steve said.

"Thank you." The young woman blushed.

"In our last transmission, I felt that you bring important news. We should discuss it privately right away." Revan said to Bastila.

"I agree." The young Jedi responded.

"Come with me then." Revan said before she turned around to kiss Steve and let him go. Revan and Bastila went into another room to discuss Jedi matters. Steve was about to retire to Revan's room before he heard a voice behind him.

"Hey Steve!" Mira said. Steve turned around. Both the Echani and the redhead were looking at him.

"How come you didn't come to greet Bastila? I thought you couldn't wait to see her again…" Mira was curious.

"I was… preoccupied at the moment." Steve had a smirk that was intensified ten fold by the look in his eyes. The two women smiled. Steve turned around and walked away.

"The situation is very strange. I've been told of Jedi disappearing all around the galaxy. There's no way for us to identify the cause because there are never any witnesses… All we know is that these Jedi suddenly stopped reporting back. Most of us believe they were killed or forced to disappear… There are only a few people capable of doing that to us." Bastila said.

"You were right to believe it." Revan agreed.

"I don't understand, you reassured me the Sith weren't capable of this anymore." Bastila was confused.

"Something is definitely stirring within the Sith, but it didn't come from my empire, I assure you." Revan admitted.

"There are more of them than those you control?" The young Jedi extrapolated.

"There is another… faction amongst the Sith. I was certain it wouldn't be a problem until now." Revan admitted.

"You know them?" The Jedi asked.

"I do. Their leader was an old mentor of mine… and a friend." Revan explained.

"Who is it?" Bastila asked.

"Darth Traya, a very wise old woman. She has a great deal of knowledge of the force. The only explanation for this… problem is that she must have discovered a power that even she fears. I think she's trying to point us in the right direction. She's warning us of this danger. She's calling for me. She needs our help." Revan explained.

"What are you talking about?" Bastila was confused.

"She discovered why the force has been dying in some regions of this galaxy. I think she even tamed this power. Still, she must have lost control of it somehow because this wouldn't be happening otherwise." Revan said.

"The masters spoke of an echo in the force…" Bastila started.

"Yes, I supposed that's what they call the hollow that is left when the force dies. It's very dangerous Bastila; I can't stress enough the importance of this information. You need to send a message to the council. Tell them I'm working on a way to find Darth Traya. Tomorrow, we will meet with the Jedi and coordinate our efforts." Revan said.

"This Darth Traya, is she responsible for the missing Jedi?" Bastila asked.

"Not directly, no. She isn't interested in killing Jedi; there must be someone else in the picture. In fact, I'm hoping this person could lead us to her." Revan explained her plan.

"How will you find this person?" Bastila was curious.

"It is our destiny to meet… He will find us. You must warn the Jedi." Revan told her friend. Bastila nodded and was about to turn around and walk back to her ship to send a transmission, but Revan held her arm.

"When you're done… I think you should go speak to Steve. He should be waiting for you in our room… ehm, first door to the right. Ask the Echani if you need directions." Revan said softly. Bastila nodded, walked to the hangar and sent her transmission. When she was done, she did what she was promised.

She found the room herself, using the force to guide her. She knocked at the door.

"Come in." She heard from the other side. The door swooshed open and she could see Steve was facing the wall that was opposite to the door. He was admiring the picture he had put up against the wall. Bastila looked at it too and said:

"That's a nice picture."

"Isn't it? I just love it. It means so much to me… I just wished… I wish I had more of them, more… moments that would remain for years to come. I feel like my passage through here is almost going unnoticed, you know what I mean?" Steve finally turned around to look at the beautiful woman.

"What are you… trying to tell me Steve?" Bastial was puzzled. She wasn't expecting this. Steve bent over to pick up something from his bags. He took out a lightsaber and handed it over to the woman.

"This is the lightsaber Atris wielded. Before her, there was another person who wielded it. This…. Instrument has history attached to it. It was given to me by the Echani woman… the fourth handmaiden… so now it belongs to me." He said. Bastila picked it out of his palm and inspected it.

"I can't use it… but I'd like it if someone would. Bastila, I'd like it if you found someone… someone who reminds you of me… and give this to that person. I want you to explain to that person… the history it contains… I want you to tell someone of all who carried it… in the very best of you knowledge. I'd like for you to find out who owned it before Atris did and how she obtained it. And I want you to explain what happened to her… and to me. Will you do this for me?" He asked his friend. Bastila felt a little strange; there was something about the man's tone, something unusual. Still, she couldn't refuse:

"I can do this for you."

"There is… one more thing…" He started. Steve waited to gain Bastila's complete attention.

"It's very important." Steve added. Bastila lowered the hilt and looked curiously into the man's eyes.

"I'm listening" She answered softly.

"If ever… Revan was to become… pregnant, would you consider… being the child's godmother?" Steve asked seriously.

"Godmother?" Bastila was completely caught off guard.

"…Pregnant? My gosh… I… don't know. Godmother, me?" Bastila was completely lost.

"I'm not sure if she is… but, if… will you… will you be our child's godmother? It's very important… we… our baby will only have… our baby will need a family. I would be the happiest man alive to know you are part of our family." Steve said.

"Why are you asking me this now? You aren't sure she's pregnant." Bastila was unsure.

"I realize that… It's merely a precaution… just a hope for Revan… for us to have a child, and a family that will look after our baby." Steve explained.

"I'd have to… I need to think about this… just, just wait until you're sure. I'm breaking so many rules as it is…" The woman was uneasy.

"I know what this means for you… I wouldn't ask you this unless I though it was necessary. It just so happens that this situation is… very strange for all of us. I know you have your duties; I know Revan has hers. I need this though, above all else. I'd like it if… well if she is pregnant… I'd like it if you talked to the Jedi about it. They must have dealt with situations like these before. Trust them, trust yourself. You'll make the right choice, I know it." Steve said.

"Alright Steve, if it happens, I'll talk about it… right now, we have other issues." Bastila said. Steve nodded.

"You spoke to Revan? She told you about our mission?" Steve asked.

"Yes. Are you coming with us?" Bastila asked.

"Yes." Steve answered.

"Why?" Bastila was curious.

"Why not?" Steve was teasing.

"Well, you're not a Jedi. These Sith… they are our problem, not yours… it will be dangerous." Bastila remarked.

"I can help, I can really help." Steve said simply.

"I'm happy to hear that. Still, I…" Bastila was saying before Steve put up his hand.

"Don't worry about me… It'll be fine." Steve hesitated.

"Hey, did you know Revan made us some training sabers?" Steve changed the subject.

"Training sabers?" Bastila wasn't expecting a change in the subject.

"Yesterday, we tested them. It was really great. I'd like it if you joined us today. We do it outside, in the snow." Steve said.

"Ehm, sure." Bastila said.

"Great! I'll go tell the others, they all want to see it. Ehm… there are some boots and gloves in the closet… Just come with me, I'll show you where it is." Steve was getting anxious.

Steve gathered everyone in the closet to pick out their gear and led everyone on the snowy surface of the facility. Everyone looked anxious to see the matches except for Bastila, who hasn't taken any interest in this activity yet. She was happy though because everyone else was. She could feel the joy that surrounded her, and she felt wonderful. She smiled. Once on the surface, Steve turned to Basitila and said:

"Would you like to participate in the first match?"

"No, I think I'll just watch." Bastila said.

"Revan, how do you want to start?" The man asked.

"I like fighting you when you have your two lightsabers and I have only one." Revan answered.

"Ok. But you said you like using two as well…" Steve said.

"We can try that after. And yes, I do like it." The woman smiled.

"Excellent." Steve was happy. The couple grabbed their lightsabers and left to the side of the audience. They stood just a few meters apart from each other, stretching and preparing mentally for the challenge ahead. Steve had a great big smile on his face. He was looking at the woman who already carried a part of him and could possibly carry much more that just that. Either way, he felt complete and he felt secure about what he was leaving behind. The two of them ignited their lightsabers and swung them into a starting position. This time, Steve readied himself with a less defensive form: from now on, he knew his very existence would always be safe.

The start of the battle was much more intense. Revan knew Steve didn't need time to adapt anymore. He started with a similar speed to what he was capable of the previous day. Revan was having a lot of fun channeling the force and focusing on her soul mate's moves. Revan had set herself to strike at just the right speed that her partner could deflect. When Steve was striking at her, she had to increase her speed because she had much more to defend herself from than he did. Her mind was always busy, and it pleased her greatly. She continued that way until Steve tired. None of them got hit at all, mostly because Revan didn't feel like landing a hit. She was more interested in having a consecutive match. When it was time for Steve to rest, Revan backed off and closed her lightsaber. Steve did the same. The man sat in the snow, next to the young Jedi and spoke to her:

"Bastila, is it possible to use your battle meditation on me? Not against Revan, but to help me a little." Steve asked.

"Ehm… I could… but I'm not sure it's a good idea." Bastila said.

"What's wrong?" Steve asked.

"Nothing. It's just that… well my battle meditation isn't made to be… shown off." Bastla said. Steve smiled.

"I'm not asking you to… show it off. I'd like to see if it could work in our situation. As you already know, we will need it soon. If you're going to use it on me later, I would prefer to… adapt myself to it. It's not like I don't trust you… but I think it could make a difference to test ourselves today." Steve explained.

"I… yes, I see what you mean. I could give it a try." Bastila said. Revan smiled, she couldn't wait to see what difference it could make. Bastila crossed her legs and settled into a meditative position. She kept her eyes open and said:

"Ready when you are."

"Steve gave her a satisfactory smile and stood up, eager to try himself against the master. Revan picked up her secondary lightsaber and moved into position. She started to attack slowly, to help her lover adapt to the new circumstance. Steve could feel a change, but he felt unsure at first. It was like feeling the force again. He had to learn how to trust his feelings once more... or in this case, Bastila's feelings. He fought with unease. Revan gave him all the confidence he needed; letting him focus on the changes he felt. Soon, Steve felt better. Revan took a pause and turned to Bastila:

"Go ahead Bastila, give it all you can. He's ready." She told her friend. She could see Bastila nod and closed her eyes in order to concentrate further on her role. The couple began again, and this time it was much greater. If Steve didn't lack the physical speed Revan possessed, he could be her perfect challenge. Revan gave it all she had and struck at him. With Bastila's help, he could deflect his lover's hits without even thinking about it. Though when it came time for him to strike, he wasn't as fast as Revan. Still, the fight looked balanced enough. At this point, Revan felt like giving Steve and Bastila some hard work. She wanted to have fun. She used the force to look for weaknesses. She also wanted to know if Bastila could help Steve predict it if she used a force power against Steve. Revan struck fast, and, when she was close enough to him, she summoned the force to push him back. She could tell Steve was expecting it. Steve tried to move as far out of the way as possible. When he knew he couldn't escape the wave that was chasing him, he braced his limbs together and traveled with it until he landed on the soft snow. Revan was pleased. She understood there was nothing else he could do. Given the circumstance, all that mattered was that he could prepare for it, and that was what he did. Steve lifted his upper-body from the snow with his elbows and smiled at Revan. The woman smiled back and gave him a hand to help him up. With his wound, it was hard for him to get up on his own. When he was up, they felt too happy to stop, even if they were tired. Revan was very happy; she had time to try all sorts of new moves with her extra blade. She also wanted Steve to feel Bastila's presence. The battle persisted until Steve simply couldn't fight anymore. It lasted a long time. When it was over, Bastila opened her eyes and smiled at her achievements, and at Steve's. The spectators applauded and were so entertained by this battle that they laughed. Steve was very happy that the others appreciated this as much as he did. When he was calm enough, he stood in front of Bastila and helped her up. When she was up, he gave her great big hug and said:

"That was amazing. How do you feel? Did you learn anything?" Steve had many questions but kept himself from asking them all.

"Actually, yes. I didn't think I could do that… I didn't think I could help you much against Revan. You… you did really good." Bastila admitted.

"Thanks!" Steve kissed her on the cheek. Bastila blushed.

"I think Revan would love to spar against you… so would I, but I'm a little tired right now." Steve said. Revan approached the two of them and said:

"Actually, that tired me too. If you want to, we could try it later." Revan said. Steve smiled. He didn't expect Revan to tire herself; that meant it was a challenge for her too. He was very proud.

"We would love to see you fight." The younger Echani said to the Jedi.

"Steve looked more confident this time. You should try against him too." Mira noticed. The two Echani looked at each other.

"It was more than just confidence… It was different. What do you think it was?" The younger white woman asked the older handmaiden.

"I… I'm not sure. I haven't seen this before. It was a lot like yesterday… but there was a little something extra." She answered. Steve smiled and said:

"Come on, It's getting cold out here. Let's go back inside." Steve grabbed the bag filled with lightsabers and he placed his other hand in the comfort of Revan's. It was time for everyone to feed. The younger Echani was eager to cook for everyone. In the mean time, Steve had to feed himself; he had to go alone though because Revan needed to hear what Bastila had to say of the Jedi's plans. It didn't take long though; Steve had everything prepared, and it was a simple matter of hooking the pouch onto his side. He was accustomed to joining the rest of the group at the dining room table. He enjoyed the good company, and, most of all, he enjoyed that others wanted him there too. While he was inserting the needles inside him, he heard knocking at the door. It was Mira.

"Come in." Steve said. When he saw the redhead come in, he was pleased.

"Hi Mira. What brings you here?" Steve smiled.

"Not much, I just felt a little left out of all the Jedi talk… and I'm not much of a cook either, so you see where that leaves me." She teased. Steve laughed slightly at the woman's wonderful sense of humor. Steve felt very compatible with it. He was always ready for it; it never felt awkward or inappropriate to him.

"Actually, I was a little curious about your behavior today." The woman said in a more serious way.

"My behavior? Since when was that a subject of discussion? I thought I was kind of… normal today." Steve was curious to what the woman could sense of him.

"Well, it's hard to say really, but you have been a little… different lately… and not just today." Mira continued.

"Well, I don't mean to be. There are some things that are running through my mind at this time, things that are… different. But I wouldn't be too concerned about it." Steve said.

"Oh, I'm not concerned… I'm curious… but should I be concerned?" She was a little suspicious. She knew Steve well; even though they didn't spend much time together, they were very similar. Steve looked in the woman's eyes and placed his hand on her cheek in a most loving way.

"I feel wonderful. Just wonderful. I can't ask for anything better… because that would simply be impossible. I love this place… I love being here. Now that everyone's here, I feel complete." Steve said. Mira smiled.

"Are you sure there isn't… something else?" Mira still felt Steve was holding something back.

"There is something… but I don't want to tell you until it's for sure." Steve said.

"What is… oh… OH!" Mira understood.

"You're talking about… this morning… don't think we didn't hear the both of you in there…" Mira smirked.

"No, it's more than that… think even more long term…" Steve hinted her.

"Oh my gosh! Steve! I didn't think you were… the father type!" Mira was very excited.

"I didn't think so either. It's really just a beginning, but I seriously considered it this morning, we both did." The man smiled.

"Steve, that's really amazing… I'm really happy for you." She was stunned. Steve finished with his pouch and put on his robes. He got up from the bed and looked in Mira's eyes to see if there was more she had to say. He could tell there was something lingering in her mind, but it never came out. He put his arms around her, embracing her as a close friend and said:

"If you have something to say… say it now… I'd love to hear whatever you have to say; you're very important to me, you know?" Steve whispered. Mira shook her head and said:

"It's nothing, I'm just rally happy for you." She didn't look very convincing. Steve tilted his head sideways and lifted an eyebrow. Then he patted the bed with his hand, signaling for her to sit down. He sat down first and waited for the woman to sit next to him; he wasn't going anywhere until he heard what she had to say.

"Tell me what's on your mind." Steve said softly when the woman finally sat next to him.

"What's going to happen to us Steve?" Mira was curious.

"To me and you?" Steve asked. Mira nodded.

"Mira, you're one of the greatest friends I could ever ask for. I feel VERY comfortable with you. In many ways, I feel like we belong together. I consider you like family. You're like… like a big sister to me. I… I don't want us to ever be apart." Steve said. Mira looked a little disappointed but not much. Steve placed his fingers on her chin and stared into her eyes.

"What am I to you? How do you really feel about me?" Steve asked softly.

"Steve, I haven't known you long… but that's not the point… I really care for you. I donno. I guess I love you like a little brother… I've always wanted to have a little brother… I donno, maybe it's something else." She said honestly. Steve pulled her against him and embraced her.

"If you're as comfortable with me as I am with you, you have nothing to worry… about." Steve hesitated.

"How do you feel about everyone else though?" He quickly changed the subject.

"I… I think they are great. Well, I don't know much of Bastila… she seems sort of distant… but so far so good." Mira smiled.

"Bastila is unique… just like everyone here. She has the kind of personality that… well that isn't easy for everyone to cope with. But if you get passed her rough edges, you're going to love her. Deep down, she's the most caring person I have met." Steve said.

"Well, that's nice." Mira smiled.

"Are you ready to eat? It should be ready by now." Steve noticed the time passing by.

"Right… Sure, let's go." Mira said. They both got off the bed and walked side-by-side to the dining room. When they arrived, Revan and Bastila were still discussing the plans. Steve and Mira sat quietly around the table, facing each other. When Bastila paused from her report, Revan turned to Steve and said:

"We are meeting the council on the Miraluka's home planet. They don't want to discuss anything over long-range communications. From there, we will know how to confront whoever is responsible for the death of the force." Revan explained briefly.

"Bastila, I bought some blaster pistols. I have a good aim, but I think with your battle meditation calling the targets and Revan defending us, we can make a great team." Steve said seriously.

"You mean you're going with them?" Mira had an outburst. Steve looked at the woman in front of him, not knowing what to say. Steve looked around for someone to help explain it, but no one intervened. All he thought of doing was nod slightly at the woman.

"But why? Your place is here with us… this Jedi business isn't for you!" Mira was a little angry and confused.

"Mira, they need… I can help them." Steve hesitated.

"For what? Come on! We're talking about the Jedi council! They can take care of themselves!" Mira was uneasy.

"What do you want me to say Mira? I need to go… I…" Steve started.

"You what Steve? You think you can handle another Jedi war? Just because you fought some Sith before and you can do some fancy stunts with a lightsaber, you can handle yourself? I know you better than that! You hate killing people, you HATE war!" Mira said.

"It's not like that… I'm not going there to fight a war, Mira." Steve said calmly.

"Then why ARE you going?" Mira said.

"Because. Because there is something Revan has to do that she can't do alone, that's why." Steve said vaguely.

"And you don't think Bastila will be enough to help her?" Mira wasn't convinced. Steve rubbed his face with his hands, passing over his eyelids.

"The help she needs… she can't get it from Bastila." Steve admitted. This time, even Bastila looked at him in a curious way.

"Look, I need to be there ok, TRUST me. Revan's going to be facing her past, and she needs her present to be there, that's all." Steve said simply. It seemed like his recovery had worked. At least, it did with Bastila. However, Mira looked suspicious, still. She looked at him with the same suspicion in her eyes. I made Steve terribly uncomfortable, a dead give away; Steve didn't want to seem dishonest.

"Fine, whatever… but there's something you aren't saying." Mira noticed. Bastila noticed the same thing. She tried looking into his mind, but, this time, Steve didn't leave his mind so vulnerable; he had to keep this to himself.

"And it's better if I don't. You'll understand someday… but not this day." Steve stood up from the table just at the time the Echani came out with the food. He was about to leave; he didn't think this conversation was going anywhere pleasant. Revan grabbed his arm as he was about to leave. Everyone looked in his direction and paused. The food didn't even arrive at the table yet because the Handmaidens noticed how Steve seemed unusually sad.

"Don't go, sit. I'll take care of this." Revan whispered to him. Steve hesitated and then sat next to his soul mate. The handmaidens finally placed the food on the table and sat down.

"Look, Mira, Steve has his own demons to fight… His battle will be different from ours, and that's why he has to go. I wouldn't bring him unless I needed to. He isn't just coming because of me… But this is the one thing he doesn't wish to discuss with anyone. He has to take care of it for himself… you understand?" Revan tried to explain.

"What demons can he possibly have to fight off? He's just a… an innocent, young man. And he doesn't fear much." Mira said.

"Oh he fears, he does. And right now, he fears to explain what he has to do. He knows what he's doing. He wishes he could… tell you, but he can't! Look at him, look at his face; does he look like he wants to go? Does he look like he wants to keep secrets?" Revan said. Mira sighed and looked back at the man.

"Of course not. I just thought he was the kind of guy who liked to share what he felt… I thought he would tell me." Mira said while looking straight into his eyes.

"I am that kind of guy… I want to share everything. Everything but this… This is the one thing I CAN'T share. I've thought about it though, and I… I refuse. It won't be a secret for long though, I promise. Just… just pretend like I have nothing to say." Steve pleaded.

"And what about us, what do we do? Just stay here and wait?" Mira continued.

"It would cause more harm than good if you came with us." Revan said simply.

"Revan and Bastila won't… we won't be gone for long… right Revan? Tell her it won't take long." Steve said. Revan nodded and turned to the redhead:

"We won't be long."

"Alright, alright. Just… just tell me everything when you get back." Mira lifted her hands in defeat.

"We should leave after lunch." Bastila said. Revan and Steve nodded at the same time.

The rest of the meal was awkward and silent. When it was done, Steve got dressed in his black outfit and packed his weapons on his back. He let Revan take the bags and went straight to the Ebon hawk. Bastila was standing there; she had all her things in her hands, ready to load then in the Hawk. The couple moved up the ramp, followed by the young Jedi. They left their things in the starboard bedroom and went into the cockpit. Bastila was right behind them. The ship was ready to leave very quickly, and Bastila signaled to the Echani that they were ready for lift off. The shields lowered and the spacecraft launched out into the cold air. Revan steered the ship into a fast climb. In anticipation, Steve grabbed Bastila's arm before she lost her balance.

"Thank you." The young woman said. Steve turned his torso around and looked her in the eyes and smiled. He didn't let go until the ship broke free of the planet's gravity.

"You're very welcome." He said before getting up himself.

"We should really consider getting and extra seat." Steve said to Revan.

"What for?" Revan said plainly.

"For Bas… Revan, what's wrong?" Steve was caught off guard.

"I think she needs to know why you're with us, Steve." Revan said without looking back. Bastila looked confused.

"Revan? Are you sure?" Steve was distressed. Revan finally turned to him and looked at him sadly. She placed her hands around his and sighed.

"Yes baby, I'm sure." She said. Steve nodded and then looked at the stunned Jedi.

"What's going on?" Bastila said. Steve closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"We aren't here to stop the spreading of this new threat… we are going there to undo it." Steve said.

"How do you undo something like that?" Bastila was confused.

"I don't know yet, but we will know soon enough." Steve answered.

"Steve, tell her why you're going." Revan said softly.

"Well, I… I'm going because I can make a difference, because I was meant for this." Steve started.

"Tell her how you can make a difference." Revan said.

"I can… I can influence the force." Steve said simply. Bastila looked at Revan.

"What are you talking about?" Bastila asked the older woman.

"I think, whatever the cause of this thing may be, Steve is the solution." Revan explained.

"But he isn't…" Bastila couldn't finish.

"Not what? A Jedi? Not powerful? Does it matter?" Revan said.

"No… no of course not. I don't mean it like that." Bastila said defensively. Steve held Bastila's hand to gain her attention.

"How can he help?" Bastila changed her doubt into curiosity as she looked at the man.

"I think he's the only one who can protect us. I've though about it… meditated on it… and I've tested him. I've seen what he can do… and what the force can't do when he's around. For some reason, the force has no influence on him. Instead, as Steve modifies things around him, the people… the emotions, he also changes the force. He makes things better, in everyway. If this plague, this death of the force, can influence even the most powerful of the Jedi, neither I, nor you can undo anything. But Steve… he isn't built like we are… I think he can protect us… I know it is his destiny to protect us. And I know he can undo this." Revan clarified.

"Undo it… I still don't understand." The Jedi tried hard not to lose her focus.

"The death of the force leaves a hollow… but this hollow can be refilled. Steve has… something within him that may serve that purpose." Revan said.

"Something in him?" Bastila asked.

"I'll explain it to you eventually… but for now, all you need to know is that we can't pull this off without him… of that, I am sure." Revan said.

"Alright, what do you want us to do?" Bastila asked.

"When we arrive, we do exactly what we would normally do; we meet with the council as if we had no idea what's going on. If I'm right, our enemies will come to us. Then we will know what to do." Revan said.

"Am I… am I supposed to lie to the council?" Bastila was troubled.

"Lie? No. No more lies. They probably won't believe anything if we told them though. All we have to do is listen to what they have to say." Steve said.

"What if they… do something… something that may interfere with your plans somehow?" Bastila was insecure.

"They can't. There's nothing they can do. If they do something, something that will end up getting them into trouble… you need to stop them, tell them anything you have to, just keep them safe. Steve will know what to do. Stay with him." Revan said.

"We should arrive in a few hours, let's get some sleep." Revan said.

"Wait! There's something I need to know… This isn't some kind of Sith game is it? You aren't telling me all of this just so you can go prove you're better than your old master… Darth Traya… are you?" Bastila was suspicious. Revan looked at Steve to tell him he should talk to her instead. Steve nodded and took Bastila with him into the port bedroom. He never let go of her hand.

"Why would you ask that?" Steve asked sadly.

"Why? Because… I'm not gullible, Steve. You can't expect me to believe all of this. I know you're holding something back… I can see that much." Bastila was disappointed. Steve sat down on a bed and sighed.

"I know. You're right. You have to believe me though; all of what Revan said is true… What I'm holding back… has nothing to do with our goals… or this Darth Traya character. We don't care about that. I mean, honestly, we want to start a family… why would anything else matter? Bastila, there's only one thing that is more important than starting a family… and it's what you already take extremely seriously… and it's what we are here to do: We are here to protect the families that already exist." Steve said honestly.

"So what ARE you withholding? You can tell me, you're my friend, aren't you? You said you love me… didn't you?" Bastila said.

"Oh Bastila… I love you, I really love you. And that's what makes it so hard… that's why I CAN'T tell you." Steve moaned.

"Why, why? I'm a grown woman, I can handle it. Please." Bastila pleaded. Steve stood up and placed her cheek delicately in his palm and looked into her eyes:

"It'll make things worse… especially for you, Bastila. I can't. Revan will tell you why later… she has to." Steve whispered.

"Why not you, why can't you tell me… Tell me later, I won't mind so much… but I'd like to hear it from you." Bastila whispered back.

"No you wouldn't like it at all… and even if you want to hear it anyways… you won't hear it from me." Steve let go of her face and stepped out of the room. He didn't like to leave Bastila like this, but the alternative… would have been devastating.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9. The Cure

As Bastila and Revan slept, Steve was strolling around the ship. He was looking for a source of distraction. He didn't want to make any noise whatsoever. He also didn't want to venture in the bedrooms because he didn't want to wake anyone up. He could walk around like a ghost and knew it wouldn't wake anyone, but he didn't want to suddenly give out emotions that could alert them during their sleep the same way he woke Revan in the morning. He wanted to sleep, but he simply couldn't. He left the lights off around the ship and walked around in the dark. His favorite spot to visit was the cockpit. He liked the little lights all around the control consoles and the hyperspace window that twirled around in a dim blue light just ahead of the ship. He was very comfortable just sitting back on the copilot's chair, in a slouching fashion, just staring out, not concentrating on anything in particular except all the small lights that glowed all around him. He was very comfortable like that. He looked at his broken hand and was touching it with his other. He couldn't feel anything. He sighed. Though his life clock was ticking towards its end, he felt anxious to arrive at the planet and do something. He wished he could go into the port bedroom to wake Bastila and spend time with her. He still didn't want to tell her what would happen to him. There wasn't one moment that went by in which he didn't consider it. She was a strong Jedi, but she had little control over her emotions. She was the type of woman that wanted to act tough on the outside but was as gentle as a dove on the inside. Even if she said she could handle it, she couldn't. She would probably do anything to stop him from going all the way to whatever end was awaiting him. It was a fact. If Revan was capable of thinking it, Bastila was capable of doing it. Steve just squeezed his eyes shut and cursed himself for not being asleep. When he knew his attempts were going nowhere, he tilted forward and buried his head in his arms, against the controls. As he breathed in and out, he was beginning to feel helpless against the overwhelming stress that finally caught up to him.

_This can't be the end… it can't be. I need to live, I just need to. What if she's pregnant? I want to be here… I want to be with my family. I'm too young to die. I don't belong with the force, I belong here. I have to survive. I have to survive! Find a way! How can the force die? It can't just happen like that there has to be something else. Something… find the answer! Why would I die trying to stop this? I don't understand… something's missing. What did you see, Revan? What's waiting for us out there? I have to stop it, and I have to survive!_ Steve thought to himself. At that moment, he could feel a warm touch stroking his back. Suddenly he felt afraid. He jumped out of his seat and looked behind him. It was as he feared, it was Bastila and not Revan that came to see him. Steve held his head in his hands and squeezed it.

_I let my guard down! Curse you, curse you! Now she knows!_ Steve thought to himself and his knees gave out supporting his weight. He was kneeling on the floor and squeezing his head. Bastila could see the terror in his eyes. She was completely stunned by it. Bastila tried fighting back the fear that was now taking over her. When she was successful, she knelt down in front of the man and pushed his hands off of his skull. Steve didn't offer any resistance; he let his arms fall down beside him. Bastila put her hands on his face and looked into his eyes. Steve turned his head away and closed his eyes in shame.

"Steve, be still, I'm just trying to help." Bastila whispered as she twisted his head to face her again.

"Why are you so upset?" Bastila asked.

"You looked into my mind… I didn't want you to know! I let my guard down! All I had to do was keep my mind shut for a few more hours!" Steve moaned.

"I'm so sorry… I didn't think you would mind if I… forgive me." Bastila said.

"It's not that… it's not you, it's me. This was the only time, the first time I actually have something to hide from you… and I let my guard down!" Steve whispered.

"I felt you; I felt your fear from my room… why did you want to hide it? There's no shame in fearing death." Bastila said.

"Fear… death… fear…" Steve was thinking aloud.

"What did you see when you looked in my mind?" Steve was hoping she didn't see past his fear… he hoped she didn't see that he knew his death would come. But if she thought he only feared death… he could cover it all up.

"Just… fear… and distress." Bastila said.

"What do you know of death, Bastila?" Steve asked softly.

"Just that it isn't the end. That you return to the force at one level or another. Why are so afraid all of a sudden? You didn't seem to fear it before." Bastila said softly.

"Tell me you don't know why… tell me I'll be alright. My place is here, not with the force." Steve was about to know what Bastila knew. The Jedi was all confused.

"Why do you say that? Did Revan tell you something? Do you know something I don't?" Bastila suspected something. She knew how Revan went into far more detail about certain aspects of this current mission with Steve. She wanted to know what he knew. Steve pressed his hand on his lips to seal his mouth and shook his head as his eyes started to water.

_Don't say it, don't say it!_ He cried in his mind. Bastila understood Steve was hiding something about the mission, she couldn't help but feel left out.

"Steve… Why won't you tell me? Don't you trust me? Have I done something wrong?" Bastila pulled back a little to give the man some space. Steve slowly let go of his mouth and breathed hard.

"Why are you like this? Please Steve, please tell me!" Bastila pleaded.

"Bastila no… please, don't say that! Please don't think that way of me; I trust you with my life! Don't ask me to tell you, please! I… I don't want to tell you… not you… not you! I care too much for you… I can't! Don't make me tell you, please!" Steve moaned. Bastila was so confused. The Jedi sat down next to him very slowly and took hold of his arm with both her hands. She was literally pulling his arm towards her, letting her body do the talking for a moment. When his arm was hers, she caressed it softly.

"I just want to know why you aren't telling me… Whatever secret you hold… isn't as important to me." Bastila said to the man. Steve wiped the sweat off his forehead and looked into the darkness of the cockpit's corridor. He pondered what the woman was asking of him.

"You're a Jedi Bastila. If I answer this one question… it will answer the other." Steve said.

"Right now, I'm not a Jedi, I'm your friend. I don't know much about friendship, but I know this: You and I… we aren't made to keep secrets from each other. Look at you, you're a mess. You serve no one by holding secrets from me." Bastila said. The woman stood up like she was about to give up. Steve quickly grabbed her hand.

"Don't leave like this… not like this. It wouldn't take a genius to figure it all out. You already know too much. Let me think a moment. Let me get it out in the open. I need to fix this before it's too late." Steve said fearfully. Bastila nodded and sat back down next to him. She put her hand against his back and brushed the other against the tear marks that were left on his cheeks.

"I didn't tell you, Bastila… I don't want to tell you… because it will cause you great pain." Steve had a difficult time saying it.

"Wouldn't you feel better if you shared your pain with me?" Bastila didn't understand. Steve shook his head.

"My pain… is but a byproduct of what you will feel." Steve said.

"A byproduct?" Bastila asked.

"Don't you understand? I'm in pain now just thinking of how you will feel... and how others will feel later." Steve was very vague. His heart was screaming for him to stop, but his mind wasn't meant to keep secrets. Bastila frowned and her jaw fell open; a clear sign she needed more to understand.

"Revan told me that this mission… will be the end of me. That I'm going to die, somehow, and there's nothing anyone can do about it…" He started.

"She said she knows it's my destiny." Steve continued.

"She said… You're going to die?" Bastila repeated.

"I know she's right!" Steve said.

"When did she tell you this?" Bastila gasped.

"The day before you arrived." Steve answered.

"Please forgive me! Understand that I have no choice! I need to complete this mission; I'm the only one that can! Please forgive me!" Steve moaned.

"No, please don't say that! You don't need to die! I don't understand this, this is just a mission… there are so many… so many other missions… you can't die yet! You can do so much more if you just live!" Bastila cried.

"I'm sorry Bastila, I'm so sorry!" Steve was about to stand up and leave, but Bastila pulled him back down with all of her strength. Steve fought it for a moment.

"Don't go! Let's talk about this! Steve, for the love of the force! You have a family on the way! What are you doing? Talk to me! Sit down please! I'm the one who should be sorry, not you! I treated you unfairly at first… and it took me so long to embrace your friendship… Steve I need you now." Bastila cried. Steve let himself be pulled back down beside the woman.

"You have nothing to be sorry about… I should be sorry. I should have never begged you to become my friend… now I truly understand why Jedi shouldn't have friends… or family." Steve was ashamed of his interference in Bastila's life.

"Don't say that… You and Revan are the best thing that ever happened to me! Before I met you, I was just another soldier… a tool. With you, I feel so alive." Bastila said.

"That's why this is so difficult… You were better off without me; I was selfish, I wanted you… I wanted you so bad! Now I've jeopardized your carrier." Steve said sadly.

"You're wrong! You're so wrong! You made me a better woman and a better Jedi! You have to believe me!" Bastila said defensively.

"How? Look at what you are doing now; you're placing me instead of the mission." Steve admitted his fear of Bastila's weakness; her only weakness. And he hoped to god he was wrong about her.

"You don't believe me do you?" Bastila said.

"I wish I did. It would make me so happy to know you aren't going to suffer any long term damage form… from my death." Steve said.

"Steve, you showed me how to become a greater Jedi and Revan is the proof of that. She loves you so much, and she still does what she has to do. I can't imagine a better life for any Jedi to have than that." Bastila said.

"Bastila, you aren't made like Revan…" Steve couldn't finish.

"Maybe not, but I aspire to become more like her. And she wouldn't be like that if it wasn't for you. Don't you understand what you mean to me?" Bastila whispered.

"Bastila, I love you. I love you just as much as I love Revan. I wish I knew what I meant to you, but it will all change now… very soon, I will die. And all that I believe in will go on… because of you and Revan. But if I don't complete this mission… none of it will matter; I will have failed and none of what I fought for will have made a difference." Steve explained.

"Oh Steve! Why didn't you tell me how you felt? I know how much you love Revan… you can't possibly love me that much!" Bastila said.

"I loved you from the first moment we spoke. Is it so hard to believe that all I wanted for you was the best possible future you can get? You're the best Jedi there could ever be! You're the perfect Jedi! I observed you; I looked at you and tried very hard to understand you. I think I did. I saw that you really wanted to be a Jedi… and I kept out of your way at first. When I knew you better, I could see a way that could make you better. I gave you my friendship and Revan's friendship. I knew with her help you could do anything! Still, I had to keep my distance because anything more than a friend would have been an obstacle to you. Was I wrong?" Steve looked into her eyes for confirmation.

"You'll never be an obstacle to me; even less of one now than ever." Bastila reassured him.

"What will you do now?" Steve asked his final question.

"I'm going to prove to you that I love you. I'm going to show you what you mean to me. I'll do exactly as you asked. I will do this mission of ours, I won't stop you. When we are done… I will honor your wishes. I will speak to the council and find a way to become both your child's godmother… and the greatest Jedi." Bastila said as she reached over to taste the man's wet lips.

"I underestimated you, Bastila. You're already the greatest Jedi in the world. Now, I'm complete." Steve said in between kisses.

"I wish I had understood you better before. It's ironic how things turned out. There was a time I almost wouldn't hesitate to chop your head off. I may have done it if it wasn't for my fear of Revan. Now look how much I've changed." Bastila said.

"You saved my life; you saved Revan's life… You were already a far better person than I have ever seen. I knew that about you even as your blade threatened me. You did the right thing and I had nothing to do with it. Now you'll have all the help and support you need. You will always do the right thing, and I'm very proud to consider you my family." Steve said.

"One day, all the Jedi will know who you are and what you've done for us… and for me. You will be remembered forever. I'm overwhelmed with honor of being a part of your family. Even if we haven't known each other for long, I feel like I know everything there is to know about you. I will make sure you are remembered as I will remember you." Bastila said softly.

"I'm still very young… and I always speak from the heart. You know all you need to know about me. I'm sure you can explain to them who I am better than I could explain myself." Steve said. Steve let his head fall on Bastila's shoulder. He was feeling sleepy now. Bastila held his hand against her thigh and leaned her head against his.

"When this mission is over, I'd like it if you told Mira what happened between us today. She loves me like a little brother, you know? She knows how I feel about you, and she would love to hear how it turned out. So would Revan, but she will know soon enough." Steve whispered as he closed his eyes.

"I will, I promise." Bastila said. She also closed her eyes. The both of them were quickly sound asleep.

A few hours later, Revan walked silently into the cockpit. She looked at the two sleepers that were leaning against each other, hand in hand. They were both sitting down on the floor between the pilot seat and the copilot seat with their backs against the control panels. Revan smiled at the sight. She approached them very quietly and crouched to their level to look at them closely. Suddenly, she thought of something. She turned around and went to the back of the cockpit. She pressed a few buttons on the side wall and a thin pipe extended from the console. Revan stood behind it and activated it. There was a sudden flash that emerged from the device and then it retracted back into the wall. Steve and Bastila blinked their eyes and looked at where it came from. Revan was standing there, facing a screen against the wall.

"Did you just take a picture?" Steve asked Revan.

"Yes. Come see." Revan smiled. Steve stood up and helped Bastila up from the floor. He took a few big steps and looked at the screen.

"I thought it would be a great picture for our child to remember you by… if we have one." Revan smiled.

"It's perfect. That's how I want to be remembered." Steve observed and then smiled at the two women.

"I'm so proud of the both of you. Thank you Bastila, this is the greatest gift you could ever give us." Revan said and she hugged them both. Bastila was a little surprised that Revan already knew what happened between them.

"Don't you want to hear about it?" Bastila was curious.

"As much as I would love to know everything you said to each other, we have very little time as it is. We are going to exit hyperspace in just a few minutes. It's time to get serious. Try not to think too much; just do what you have to. When we get there, just stick together; don't get separated. I have a feeling everything will happen fast." Revan said. Bastila and Steve nodded. Revan turned the cockpit lights on and Steve gave his copilot seat to Bastila.

"I'll get my weapons." He said. He returned a minute after wearing his large rifle on his back with the two pistols strapped on his lower back.

"Let's do this." Steve said with great ambition. Everyone looked outside of the ship at the planet they were about to land on. It was a much darker planet than Steve had previously seen. It had a similar amount of large water bodies as Dantooine, but the soil was mostly the color of carbon and the vegetation was more spread out than any other planet. Revan entered the landing coordinates and steered the ship in a shaded area of the planet. It looked as though the reddish sun was setting in this region, which made everything look even redder. On Steve's home planet, there were cultures that believed such redness in the sky was a signal of a terrible battle to come. It would have been a silly thing to say for this planet because the sun was already red. Still, he couldn't help but relate the events that were about to happen with this cultural legend. The ship landed and the three passengers hurried into the building. They were greeted by a miraluka. She wore dark clothes just like the planet's soil and a red veil that covered her forehead and her eyes. She had a beautiful voice though, and she seemed very friendly.

"We've been expecting you. Everything is prepared. On behalf of our people, we hope you enjoy your stay." The blind woman said.

"Thank you, miss. Is the council ready to meet with us yet?" Steve asked politely.

"I believe so… if you follow me, I will take you to them." The woman smiled. She brought them to a large dark room. Because the miralukas were blind, they didn't need lights. Inside, there were red couches and natural sunlight lit the room from certain holes on the top side of the walls. It was actually very beautiful if you got used to the darkness. A large majority of the couches were taken. There were many masters present at this meeting. Steve counted over two dozen. Around them there were other Jedi; mostly Jedi knights. Like Revan asked, Bastila and Steve stayed close to her. They walked to the middle of the room and waited to be noticed.

"We are glad you came on such short notice. This is a serious problem, and we have to find a solution as quickly as we can. I believe you met most of the masters here. This is my colleague master Dorak, over there, there is master…" Jarr started.

"Master Jarr, please, we need to begin this immediately. I fear something terrible is approaching." Revan interrupted the Twi'lek.

"Strange that we have not…" Master Vandar said as he overheard the conversation.

"Not strange master Vandar, but unfortunate. The Sith have ways to cover their tracks, these Sith most of all." As Revan said that, the room fell silent.

"I thought you're empire was disassembled." Master Vrook raised an eyebrow.

"It is. This is another Sith faction created by Darth Traya… Kreia if you prefer." Revan said.

"Are you certain of this?" Vrook asked.

"Yes, master; quite certain. Like I said to Bastila, I believe there is a strong relation between the disappearance of the Jedi and the…" Revan said before she was interrupted by a young Jedi padawan.

"Masters, we've just detected an interdictor class starship entering the system. It's republican by the looks of it, but, so far, it failed to respond to our hails." The young man said.

"There are no republican ships due in this sector for another month." Master Vrook said.

"Republican, master? Haven't you heard a thing I said?" Revan was annoyed. Master Vrook looked at Revan coldly, but understood how serious she was.

"Bring us a display of this ship." Vrook said to the padawan.

"Right away master." The man said.

"We need to start thinking defense right away. Have your fighter ships take off and hide in orbit opposite to the ship's trajectory. We should also be ready for ground assault." Revan said. Everyone was looking at her. The padawan returned with a large flat screen that displayed the ship. Everyone looked at the screen to inspect the ship it displayed.

"That's one of our old ships… a republican ship that was destroyed during the Mandalorian wars." Revan observed.

"Possibly. However, it hardly looks in any condition to fight." Master Dorak said.

"It isn't the ship we should consider a threat master. You of all people should know that. These Sith don't need to focus on fire power to destroy us. Hide your fighters behind the planet now or it will be too late." Revan said. Dorak nodded and gave the signal of a silent alert to dispatch a squadron of fighters.

"What should we expect of these Sith?" Master Vrook asked.

"I'm not positive. But what I do know is that they will eventually land a ground assault to finish us off. They will come to us. We need to stay together." Revan said simply.

"What about the starship?" Jarr asked.

"We only need to keep it from escaping. If we can't learn anything from the ground forces, we will need to learn what we can from the people on that ship. We need our fighters to disable it." Revan explained.

"How long until it reaches us?" Vrook asked the padawan.

"Estimated three minutes." The man responded. At that moment, almost half the room filled with Jedi of all kind. They all had a lightsaber in hand. They were here to protect the council.

"Seal the entrances; fortify our position." Revan ordered.

"What if we need to make an escape?" Master Jarr asked.

"There is no escape, well all need to stand our ground. Something tells me, if we step out, we will die." Revan said.

"How is it you feel this and we don't?" Vrook was suspicious.

"We don't have time for this master. We are all in this together." Revan said.

"Masters, we have reports of a small fighter ship landing just a few clicks away from our position." The Jedi padawan said as he was listening to the message through his communicator. Master Vrook was about to respond before everyone was suddenly overwhelmed with pain. Steve and Revan were the only ones that could still stand… everyone else hit the ground struggling to fight the pain. Revan grabbed Bastila's head in her hands and looked into her eyes.

"Bastila, you have to fight it! Stay with us! Concentrate on me honey! Listen to my voice." Revan screamed to the frightened Jedi. Steve looked around in shock. He was terrified.

"Revan! The force! Ahhh! I can hear it scream in my ears! The Miralukas!" Bastila screamed in pain.

"I know! I feel it too. You have to fight it Bastila! Ignore it! We need you now!" Revan screamed back. Steve jumped out of his state of disbelief and placed his hand on Bastila's forehead. He didn't know why he did that, but it seemed to work. Bastila was bale to stand. She still had a terrified look in her eyes though.

"How did you do that?" Bastila asked after she was able to turn her eyes to Steve.

"I don't even know what I did. Get ready, I'll try and see if anyone else is feeling better." Steve said in disbelief. He went to master Jarr first. Jarr seemed calm enough, but he wasn't moving much.

"Master Jarr, can you hear me?" Steve asked as he held the Twe'lek in his arms. As soon as Jarr nodded, Steve helped him up.

"What's happening to everyone?" Steve asked the master.

"There is a great disturbance in the force… the miraluka… they are all dying… this planet is dying." Jarr said.

"Oh no!" Steve said.

"Steve, there's no time, just try and help the others. We will need all the help we can get." Revan said to the man. Steve nodded and tried to wake more of the masters. He worked fast and was able to revive half the room before the ground forces arrived at the gates. Some of the Jedi he revived were all ready to go out and defend the entrance.

"Wait! Stay behind us! Steve, Bastila stay behind me." Revan said as she led everyone to the nearest gate. When they got there, Revan stood near to it, waiting. Everyone did as they were told; they waited behind her. Steve took out his two blaster pistols and approached Revan. He stood so close to her, he was breathing down her neck. He stuck his two blasters beside her as if his arms were hers. He looked over her shoulders to have a clear view of the gate.

"Bastila, stick behind me and Revan and use your meditation to call the targets. I'll be ready." Steve said after turning his head around as much as he could.

"Good idea baby. Don't move, I'll defend the both of you, and you shoot anything that comes out of that gate." Revan approved.

"That's the plan." Steve said as he kissed Revan's ear for good luck.

There were sparks that splashed out from either side of the gates. The Sith must have been cutting through it with some kind of power tool. When they were finished their cutting, Revan extended her arm and summoned the force to propel the gate out onto the enemies that were waiting on the other side. The moment the gate was in the air, Steve fired a barrage of shots that cleared the smoke screen created by the machinery and struck the targets on the other side. He couldn't even see what he was firing at, but he trusted Bastila. Revan ignited her crimson blade and deflected the return fire that was targeting Steve. When the smoke cleared, the Sith noticed all the Jedi waiting for them and begun firing everywhere. They were all dressed in black and wore masks over their heads. They looked like assassins. Steve shot them down like dogs. It didn't take long for the gateway to be clear of the first Sith wave. There were more of them out there somewhere though. The Jedi that were behind Revan were ready to explore the parameter of the enclave.

"Stay inside!" Revan shouted before anyone could take more than two steps forward.

"They are just waiting for us to go out there." Revan added. Steve put his pistols back in their straps and took off the big rifle. He dropped down to the floor and said:

"I'll find them." He activated the infrared option on the scope and looked through the cold elevated stone walkways that were all around the enclave. He could see there were rows of Sith just behind them. They were all crouched down, waiting. He added the standard mode on the scope so he could see a combination of the two views and fired his first shot on a Sith's head that was sticking out above the walkway. He quickly fired at another target and then another until the Sith finally realized they were spotted. After seeing that four of their colleague's brains were splattered on the floor, they all rushed out of their hiding spots to confront the Jedi. The front row of Sith were dark Jedi. They had their lightsabers ready and they defended the other Sith who used heavy blasters.

"Strike down the dark Jedi first! Go!" Revan said as she pointed the Jedi in the direction of the assault team that headed their way. Bastila stood behind the couple with here eyes closed and her hand squeezing her hilt. She needed to help Steve with his targeting. Without her help, his shots would have been deflected by the Sith or he would just spend too much time looking to line up a shot. In a battle like this, it was too unpredictable to target anyone in particular unless Bastila was there. Steve let her guide his shots. He fired into the crowd and never failed to hit his targets. Soon, they were getting too close though; the rifle he had was only good for long range. He got up and took out his pistols again.

Soon, the Jedi were overwhelmed by the Sith. Steve had to get Revan and Bastila to push forward; that way, he could cover more angles than just straight ahead.

"Stay close." Revan said to him and Bastila as she walked into the battle. Steve extended his arms on either side of him and fired shot after shot at any black wearing trooper. They were severely outnumbered. Many of the Jedi perished in the attack. There were a dozen masters left standing. Steve was able to take out many of the assassins, but the dark Jedi were hard to hit even with Bastila's help.

"Bastila, take Steve back inside. Get some more Jedi out here." Revan said.

Steve and Bastila ran back into the enclave and did what they were told. Steve helped the petrified Jedi off the floor and sent them into battle. Revan and the masters held their ground, but the reinforcements they received made the battle much less unbalanced… and there were more Jedi on the way. Revan was super fast, and her crimson blade confused some of the Sith enough for her to take advantage of it. She moved through the Sith like a shadow. She split them apart and never stopped moving towards her enemies. The Jedi masters also fought with great fierceness. They were not afraid of battle. Some of them were still stunned by the sudden death of the force that they couldn't concentrate on the battle. Those were the ones that perished the quickest. Revan felt she had to finish this battle as quickly as she could. There was someone on this dead planet that she needed to catch. She threw her lightsaber towards a pair of dark Jedi. The blade twirled out of her hand and was projected towards them at an incredible speed. The fist Sith saw the blade come towards him and tried to deflect it, but it just spun past his blade and cut through him. The dark Jedi standing behind him couldn't see it coming until Revan's blade had spun through his colleague and severed his upper body in two. By then, it was too late; the blade had but another foot to travel before it would transmit the same fate the other dark man suffered. The battle finally looked like it was going to be won. Revan's lightsaber quickly flowed back into her hand, and she ran off to the next targets. There was a group of for dark Jedi that stuck close together. There were too strong for just one Jedi to handle. They stuck so close to each other that it was like fighting one person with three blades. They struck down any Jedi opposition and moved slowly to their next targets, like leeches. Revan's legs were swelling with blood as the force charged her muscled with a surplus of energy. She ran like lightning and leaped high into the air. She landed both her feet on one of the Sith's chest and broke into his torso, squashing his heart and lungs instantly. The man crashed down against his colleagues, sending the two others to the ground. Revan stabbed her blade into the closest one and jumped out of the dead man's carcass before the other dark Jedi could strike at her legs. She landed a few meters to the side and let another Jedi finish him off. She looked around for more targets, but they were getting scarce.

"Retreat! Everyone back inside!" Revan called out and ran towards the enclave. Master Jarr grabbed her arm as she ran passed him.

"Revan, what about the others? They are getting away!" Jarr was puzzled.

"I'll take care of them! You get your people back inside!" Revan said loudly. She saw that the master was in doubt.

"You're going alone?" He was concerned.

"Yes Jarr! Stay with Steve! He's the only one keeping you alive! If you fallow me, you will die too!" She said before she broke free of his grip and ran like the wind in the enclave.

"Back inside everyone!" Jarr finally agreed.

Revan went back into the council chamber where Steve was working on reviving the last of the Jedi.

"Steve, Bastila, stay here and protect the Jedi. I'm going to chase the Sith down and find out who is behind this." Revan said.

"Alone? Revan, let me help you!" Bastila said.

"Don't you understand what's going on here? We are the only survivors on this entire planet! The only reason we are still alive is because of Steve! You need to stay close to him!" Revan said.

"What about you?" Bastila was concerned.

"I will be fine; Steve could explain it to you. I have to go. Just make sure no one leaves this place, and I mean no one!" Revan said before she ran back outside.

"What's this all about?" Bastila asked Steve.

"I think I understand… She said she gained a part of me… maybe she can resist what's happening around here… at least to a certain extent." Steve answered.

"Bastila!" Vrook screamed out.

"Mater Vrook, what is it?" Bastila didn't like the man's tone.

"You need to come with us, we are going to pursue the Sith." Vrook said loudly.

"What? You can't! You need to stay here! We all need to stay right here! You heard Revan, we will die the moment we step outside… just like all the Miraluka…" Bastila said defensively.

"We can't just stay here and do nothing." Vrook said coldly.

"Yes you can! You know, that's exactly what Revan said when she left for the mandalorian wars… but at least she can learn from her mistakes. She's gained more wisdom than all of you combined. Give her a chance! She will find the ones responsible for this, I promise you!" Bastila said defending her friend.

"That's not the same!" Vrook spat.

"Yes it is! Yes it's the same! You knew of a danger she didn't foresee until you admitted something was wrong. Now it's the same; she knows there is a danger for all of us out there! We have to stay inside! This time, she knows something you don't, and she's going to fix it herself because she's the only one who can!" Bastila shouted back.

"I don't have time for your insolence!" Vrook spat.

"Don't you say that to Bastila! Stay here, that's all there is to it!" Steve intervened.

"What are you going to do about it boy? You have no place here." Vrook said.

"Don't make me make you." Steve said coldly. Vrook was annoyed. He gathered his friends with him and got ready to leave. Steve threw his guns down and stood in their path.

"What are you doing? Remove yourself from our path." Vrook said.

"You leave, you die. You may be willing to take the risk, but I respect you too much to let you get killed because of some stupid vendetta you must still have against Revan." Steve said in a serious tone.

"We are Jedi, we don't have vendettas." Vrook said. Steve frowned at the man and stood up to his face.

"Step aside; this is your last chance." Vrook said plainly. Bastila had a fright in her eyes. She thought about what Steve told her just a few hours ago… about his destiny. She was about to intervene, but she understood this is what Steve does… this what he was. This wasn't how he would go down. At least, that was what she hoped. From what she witnessed of him previously though, she was pretty sure he was going to win this somehow.

"What are you going to do old man? Strike me down?" Steve said sadly.

"I just may." Vrook said as he stepped back and placed his hilt in his hand.

"You kill me, and we all die." Steve said.

"You leave me no choice." Vrook activated his blade and waited for the Jedi around him to give him room for the battle that was to come.

"You would strike down a defenseless man? Come on, Vrook! I'm on your side!" Steve said defensively.

"Then get out of my way!" The master replied.

"Jarr, help me out here, someone! Tell Vrook he's making a mistake! There's no point in leaving this place. Revan is probably dealing with the remaining ground forces as we speak, and the starship isn't going anywhere for as long as your fighters are out there!" Steve yelled.

"Vrook, he's probably right…" Jarr said before being interrupted.

"We don't have time to argue! If those damned Sith find a way to escape, they could do this to any other planet!" Vrook shouted before he started to charge at the defenseless man. Steve's eyelids stretched open at the site of this danger. He could see with the corner of his eyes that Bastila was tossing him her lightsaber. Steve caught it and activated it just on time before the first hit struck. Bastila moved back and closed her eyes to concentrate on her battle meditation as she had done previously. Steve was terrified; he had no wish to harm the old man, and he knew he had something very important to do after all of this was done. He focused on Bastila's thoughts that rushed in his mind and let his adrenaline carry out his movements. With only one blade, he stood little chance against a Jedi master. Master Vrook wasn't as powerful or nearly as fast as Revan, but he fought differently. Steve had to get used to his methods in order to survive. All the Jedi watched the battle. Jarr moved closer to Bastila, he could see what she was doing. He shook her arm.

"Not now master! Not now!" Bastila said without even opening her eyes. Jarr let go of the woman and looked at the battle sadly. Steve looked like he was holding his own, but he was tiring quickly. Bastila could feel it. She was getting frightened too.

"Jarr! Give him your lightsaber! Please, do it now or we may all die!" Bastila cried out, never letting go of Steve's mind. Jarr hesitated for a moment and then tossed his hilt up in Steve's direction. Bastila help Steve guide one of his hands to catch it. The cylinder landed in his palm but started to slip down the sweat that covered it. Steve kneeled down, caught the hilt a second time and activated it before Vrook could take advantage of his clumsiness. Steve was still kneeling and held the green blade in a cross with Bastila's golden one. When Vrook's blade landed on the lightsabers, Steve rose to his feet and pushed Vrook back. Vrook came back with a series of strikes. Even though Steve was physically slower now that he was tired, he was still able to deflect the hits. He stood his ground for as long as he could. His exhaustion was overwhelming him. He was breathing too hard and too fast. His heart was beating so hard it made his hands shake and made him lose his precision. He came close to being hit, but, thanks to Bastila, he was able to place his lightsabers in the right position to absorb as much of the blow before it actually landed on him. It came very close a few times. He was getting weaker by the minute. Bastila could see what was going to happen and she yelled:

"Vrook, stop! Stop now! It's over!" Bastila cried out as she finally opened her eyes. She could see his blade forcing itself past the cross barrier of Steve's green and yellow blades. Steve wasn't strong enough to hold it back. Vrook's blade was getting closer and closer to his face as his muscles were stressing to prevent this from happening. Bastila suddenly lifted her hand up and summoned the force to push Steve out of the way. Steve flew back and landed on the floor. He was too tried to get up. He just kept his blades in a cross to protect himself. Vrook stood above him and pointed his blade towards him.

"What are you doing old man? Even if you can get passed me, you still can't reach the Sith on time! You have my respect Jedi, but don't pretend like you didn't notice." Steve said.

"You're in no position to make demands." Vrook said plainly.

"You think I fear you? My fate is sealed; I die today, but not by your hands. Leave me be. I'm doing this to protect you." Steve said.

"You only care about Revan, and you would do anything she tells you. For all we know, this was all her doing. Darth Traya was her old master, she may still be." Vrook said.

"Why do you think I would do anything Revan says?" Steve asked.

"Because you're blinded by your love for her." Vrook answered.

"You want to know who else I love? I love Bastila just as much as I do Revan." Steve admitted proudly. Vrook looked at the young Jedi.

"It's true. And I love him. He's here to help, you have to believe me." Bastila said.

"Help us what? Help keep us caged in here?" Vrook wasn't convinced, but he deactivated his blade. Steve did the same. He was tired of the humming that resonated in his ears as he held his blades above his chest.

"No Vrook. I'm here to undo whatever is causing the death of the force. You see, it isn't enough that we stop it; we have to destroy it completely before it spreads. Your death won't solve anything! Stay here where it's safe. That's all I ask." Steve said softly.

"It's too late to leave old friend… We have to assume Revan can complete her task. Let the man go." Jarr said to Vrook.

"I don't trust him." Vrook frowned.

"Well I do, and there are more of us here that do. He was helping us then and he's helping us now… I believe him, why can't you?" Jarr said.

"Come on, Vrook! Revan is your ally, or have you forgotten your agreement?" Steve said.

"Then why hasn't she rejoined the Jedi?" Vrook said.

"Because she can't have a family when she's with you, can she? She can't have any freedom with you Vrook. Besides, she's very capable of doing what you do on her own." Steve said.

"Revan isn't the type to have family." Vrook stated his opinion.

"Then what do you call me?" Steve said.

"A damned inconvenience is what you are!" Vrook said.

"All right Vrook, believe what you want. I did my work here. I kept you from getting yourself killed, and I helped you fight off the Sith. When Revan comes back, you will never see me again, and you can go back to whatever it is you think is more important that respecting those that actually care for you." Steve said as he tried to lift himself up. He rolled to his side and used his arms and legs to push off the floor. With his abdominal muscles damaged, it was the only way he could get up. Bastila helped him up the rest of the way and gave a look at his attacker.

Revan reached the small fighter ship that had landed not too far from the enclave. She knew this was the ship that carried the one she was looking for. It was a tall man that wore a cloak and a white mask. This Sith must have been tracking down the Jedi and tried to assassinate them all in one blow… along with all the life on the planet. Little did he know, Revan had other plans. When this Sith discovered the Jedi were still alive, he sent his ground forces down to the enclave to finish them off. He didn't care about them though, he would kill them too if it meant destroying the Jedi. He couldn't specifically target the Jedi and not his own troops. He waited for his men to report back to him so he can begin again. Instead of his men though, it was Revan approaching him. He summoned the force in anger and tried killing everything again. He already sucked the force out of everything on the planet, but it wasn't working against Revan. He thought she must have been the one responsible for defending the Jedi. He was very angry. He started to speak in an ancient Sith language that Revan had learned during her studies of the dark side.

"Your master doesn't care about you and she certainly doesn't care for killing Jedi. You're just some bait to lead me to her. Tell me where she is, and I'll give you what you want: a quick death." Revan said plainly. As the tall man spoke his language, Revan translated it in her mind:

_If you survive this, you can go find her where it all started. She will be waiting for you there._

"Malachor… Very well, you shall have your death." Revan said as she ignited her lightsaber. The tall man did the same. Just as she promised, she killed him quickly. This man was not a duelist. He was just a monster. It only took her a moment to find a weakness and strike him down. When she was done, she ran back to the enclave.

When she got back, she could sense the tension in the room. She noticed everyone was silently whispering to each other. Then she saw Bastila holding Steve's hand and giving Vrook a bad look. Revan grabbed Steve's hand and said:

"Leave him alone Vrook, he's under my protection. Our job is done here. Kreia is waiting for me at Malachor 5, and the Sith that came here to kill you is dead." Revan said simply. Revan was about to leave with Steve but noticed Bastila was still attached to him.

"Bastila, this is our fight. No one else can fight it for us, that includes you." Revan said sadly.

"But I'm safe with you and Steve. I survived once, I can survive again." Bastila persisted. Revan put her hand on her face and looked into her eyes.

"I want to go with you." Bastila continued.

"Hasn't Steve told you what will happen?" Revan said softly. She could see the look in her eyes, and it was saying yes.

"If he dies… or if he fails… you will die along with him. We can't take the chance. I know it's his destiny to succeed, but the future is sometimes uncertain." Revan said.

"I understand. Let me at least say goodbye." Bastila said.

"Of course." Revan smiled. Bastila reached over to Steve, kissed him on the cheeks and then on the lips. She placed both her hands on his face and caressed his lips with her own. Steve held her lower back against him with one of his arms and kept Revan's hand in the other.

"Goodbye dear friend, may your soul live eternally with the force. I love you Steve." Bastila said as a single tear rolled down her cheek. Steve smiled and pressed his forehead against hers.

"I will watch over you, always. Keep Revan happy for me. Love our child as if it was your own. I love you Bastila. Help her raise our baby and pass on my knowledge. Keep the Jedi out of trouble. And most important of all, trust yourself. Goodbye Bastila Shan." Steve said. He kissed her again and then left with Revan.

"Bastila, you have a lot of explaining to do." Master Jarr whispered behind her. Bastila was still looking at the couple leave.

"I know. All will come in time. He will find what is causing the death of the force, and he will find a way to undo it. I know this. He has that strength within him, I can see it clearly now." Bastila said calmly.

"I'd like to know what that's all about." Jarr said.

"So would I, master, so would I. We still have much to learn, we all do. I think, if we work together, we may be able to prevent something like this from happening again. It isn't fair to leave this responsibility to someone so young and pure. He barely started his life, and, now, he may never return." Bastila said sadly.

"Who is that man, really?" Jarr asked.

"He is a part of the force we've never known existed. He's Revan's soul mate, my greatest friend, protector of the Jedi, perhaps father of a child I will help raise, and most importantly, the most loving person there could ever be." Bastila answered.

"I believe you." Jarr confessed.

"Help me make his wishes come true. Help me convince everyone of who he is. He deserved to be remembered as no less than a hero." Bastila demanded.

"He will be." Jarr agreed.

Revan and Steve lifted the Ebon Hawk into orbit. Just behind them, they could see the broken republican ship being attacked by the Jedi starfighters. It had severe battle damage, yet it was still working. When the couple was far enough from the planet's gravitational field, the Ebon Hawk entered hyperspace. It was the final journey of this mission.

"This is it, isn't it?" Steve asked. Revan closed her eyes and confirmed:

"It is." There was a pause.

"Why can't I find anything to say?" Steve was disappointed in himself.

"You don't need to say anything baby. I can hear your heart." Revan said.

"What will you do when I'm gone?" Steve asked.

"I'll do what I said I would." Revan answered. Steve got off his seat and sat on top of the woman. Revan wrapped her arms around him.

"Aren't you going to try to find someone else… another man?" Steve asked.

"No." Revan said.

"Why not?" Steve was curious.

"Because. No one can replace you baby." Revan said honestly.

"I know. But isn't our child going to need… a father?" Steve asked honestly.

"What if we don't have a child?" Revan was uneasy.

"What if we do?" Steve persisted.

"You're the only father our child needs…" Revan said.

"Revan, I worry about you. You're capable of so much love… You could make another man very happy." Steve said.

"Steve, before I met you, I never considered having a man in my life." Revan said.

"What about now? Aren't you going to consider it?" Steve asked.

"You are my man. You're the man of my life; the only man of my life. I don't need anyone else." Revan said honestly.

"What if you're wrong?" Steve asked.

"I'm not wrong. If there was something I wished I was wrong about, it would be that our child would grow up with a father… but that father would be you, Steve, not anyone else." Revan said.

"Whatever you do, Revan, just don't burry yourself in the past. I want you to live in the present. Try to enjoy yourself as much as you can. Set the right example for everyone else. It wouldn't be fair for our child to have a sad mother." Steve said.

"How could I not be sad?" Revan was unsure.

"Look at me." Steve said as he twisted himself to look into the woman's eyes.

"Do I look sad? I'm not sad because everything is going to be better for everyone now. Sometimes, you just have to concentrate on what you have instead of what you could have. You have so much left to do and so many people to watch over. You'll never be alone, never. If you ever feel lonely, just talk to Bastila… or Mira… or the Echani. They all have something about them that could remind you of me… especially Bastila: she's so compassionate." Steve said honestly.

"You've seen many people die before; people you care about. But you got over them. Why should I be any different?" Steve said.

"Because no one else ever imprinted themselves in my soul. I have part of you inside of me, and I will always feel it. I will never get over it. It would be like trying to forget you have lungs to breathe with or ears to hear with. It just isn't possible." Revan answered.

"Maybe it'll go away when I die." Steve observed.

"I don't want it to go away. I love it. I feel so right. I couldn't lose it. It's you, Steve! I want it to stay with me forever." Revan explained.

"Then I'll never really die, will I? Shouldn't that make you much less sad?" Steve observed.

"I guess it will baby, I guess it will." Revan agreed.

_When she arrives here, Darth Sion, I want you to give her a choice. Offer something to her._

Later, the ship exited hyperspace in a very unpleasant part of the galaxy. Malachor 5 was more than just a dead planet; it was a battle field and a graveyard. It looked like a giant asteroid… and empty shell of something that once was. Revan searched the surface of this rock to find signs of her old master. She searched through the force and pinpointed the source. She could also see where the great plague in the force was coming from. She steered the ship in a big canyon that led somewhere underground. She saw lights just ahead. They were coming from a big facility. Revan landed in a clearing just a few hundred meters before the facility. The ramp was lowered and the outside air flowed in. It reeked of poisonous fumes and decay.

"Is it safe to breath?" Steve was curious.

"Not for long." Revan answered.

"Let's make this quick." Revan added. The couple walked away from the ship. Just ahead of them, there were two rows of Sith assassins on both sides of a bridge that crossed a large gap in the rocky floor. As Revan approached them, they all kneeled down to greet her and Steve. They all stood completely still, with their heads looking down at the floor and with their hands on the floor in front of them. Revan didn't hesitate; she held Steve's hand and crossed the bridge. She had nothing to fear, nor did Steve. The couple walked all the way to the academy's entrance. When they looked back, they saw that the Sith men were still bowing at the bridge.

"Why are you playing games with me Kreia?" Revan thought out loud. The great doors opened ahead of them. She could see there were people inside the hallway. There were red lights on every wall and dimmed white lights on the ceilings. Just ahead of them, there was a single dark Jedi standing in a circle. He held a lightsaber, but he didn't move from where he stood. He didn't blink or fidget or anything; he stood calm. Revan and Steve stood facing him and waited a moment. Revan pulled Steve's hand and started to walk around the Sith man.

"Wait." Steve said to her. Revan stopped. Steve let go of her hand and approached the Sith man.

"Excuse me sir, may I borrow your lightsaber?" Steve asked the man seriously. The Sith man was stunned. He unclipped his blade from his belt and hesitated. Then he finally extended his arm to offer it to the one who asked. Everything he was asked to do this day was very confusing; he simply didn't know what to do.

"Thank you. I shall return it to you, I promise." Steve accepted the hilt and walked back to Revan. Revan was very surprised but understood that it was all Kreia's doing. For some reason, her old master wanted to make thing very confusing. Steve and Revan continued around the man who stayed in the circle and walked down the hallway. There were other people there, but they were moving around. They were getting ready. When Revan was close, they activated their lightsabers. Steve gave Revan the lightsaber he borrowed.

"Here, you can use this more than I can." He said to her. Revan nodded and accepted the lightsaber.

"I'll get you a pair, just wait here." The woman told him. Steve smiled and took a step back. Revan activated both lightsabers and the Sith finally attacked her. There were five of them in total. Three of them were women. They all died very quickly. Revan had no time to waste with these people. She kept her energy for later though. She fought with only her blades and was able to finish the five attackers in less than thirty seconds. When they were all dead, Revan picked up two lightsabers from the ground and handed them over to Steve. She could hold his hand anymore, so instead, she said:

"This way." Revan signaled the direction and Steve followed closely. They entered another hallway. On either side of the entrance of this hallway, there were more Sith waiting to ambush the couple. Revan spun her blades as fast as lightning and cut down two of her attackers before aiding Steve with the group on his side. There were bodies with severed limbs all over the hallway entrance. Some of the Sith were still alive, but they were too wounded to do anything. Revan passed over them and stabbed them in the heart to kill them quickly.

"Show them mercy even though they will show you none." Revan said to her companion. Steve smiled at the woman.

"Who taught you that?" Steve was curious.

"You did; you inspired me to say it." Revan smiled back. Steve nodded and followed his lover. At the end of this hall, there were a few elevators. Revan took the closest one. She pressed the button to the lower level and waited for the doors to close. Steve stood beside her and looked at her constantly. Revan looked back and smiled.

The elevator reached the bottom and the doors slid open. It was a tall dark room with pillars everywhere. The stone that made the room was of a light gray. Revan and Steve strafed sideways to see what was waiting for them inside. They couldn't see through all the pillars. They walked along the side of the room until they reached the middle of the wall. They turned and faced straight down the room. There was a man waiting there. He had his back turned away from them. Revan and Steve could see all the scars that covered the half-naked man's body. The tall Sith man looked ahead at the doorway that led to his master, Darth Traya. The couple approached him. Revan kept her man behind her and stepped forward. When the Sith turned around, Revan asked:

"Who are you?"

"I am Darth Sion. I am one of Darth Traya's failures. None of us could be as great as the first, she keeps reminding us. She has been expecting you to return someday." Sion's voice was piercing through the couple's ears like needles. He was a scary thing to look at, but nothing was stranger than his voice.

"You look terrible Sion, what are you doing here, really?" Revan observed.

"I do what I'm told. Surly you understand that. You were once the Dark Lord of the Sith." Sion replied.

"I took over the Sith so I can finish the war, not so I can tell everyone what to do." Revan said.

"I know what you did. There is no difference between what I am doing and what your old apprentice was doing, regardless." Darth Sion said.

"You have nothing in common with Malak." Revan said.

"You would be surprised to see what the dark side can do to the unworthy." Sion replied.

"It has nothing to do with worth, Sion. Perhaps that's what you failed to realize." Revan said.

"You can't expect us all to know what to do. We are not all as talented as you, Revan." Sion said.

"Talent doesn't outweigh wisdom." Revan said.

"Maybe not. Still, I follow Traya because she has both. This way, I do what I need to… the same as your old apprentice." Sion said.

"What do you want from me, Sion? You want my approval?" Revan didn't know where this was going.

"No. I want to see if you are who Traya says you are." Sion admitted.

"And who do you think I am?" Revan asked.

"You are the true power in the force." Sion replied as he activated his lightsaber.

"You wish to fight me, Sion?" Revan said as she stepped into a defensive stance and activated her two blades.

"I wish to test your power. You cannot kill me, not here." Sion said as he attacked with his single blade. He was much stronger than he looked. A person with that much damage to his body couldn't be. But Sion was not really a man anymore. The dark side had turned him into a monster, just like the white masked man she encountered. These were Darth Traya's failures. Revan fought with all her might. Sion couldn't touch her. Still, Revan noticed the man was doing rather well. He held his ground. Steve just watched the battle. There was nothing he could do. Besides, he knew it would only upset the tall man if he intervened. He also knew there was no greater power that Revan. She didn't look like she needed any help. Revan accelerated he movements and managed to cut trough Sion's hilt. His lightsaber flicked off and the bottom half of it fell to the ground.

"Perfect." He said.

"Now you are ready to face my master." He continued.

"I'm not here to face your master, Sion. I just want some information." Revan explained.

"She is waiting for you. Just go. And bring your friend with you." Darth Sion said.

Revan went into the next room and Steve followed very closely behind. There was a great walkway that led to a half sphere. It was just a big bubble that seemed to be floating miles above the planet's dead core. There was emptiness everywhere except within the bubble Kreia was in. It was obviously a meditation chamber of a very dark and ill prestige. Not a great source of motivation for anyone. Still, it was very much like what was happening around. Revan and Steve walked into the half-sphere and found an old cloaked woman sitting cross-legged in the middle of the room.

"Hello Revan." The woman said.

"Hello Kreia." Revan replied.

"Why are you doing all of this, Kreia?" Revan continued.

"It was not my doing. I am merely a spectator in this." The old woman answered.

"All these Sith are working for you, Kreia. Don't pretend like you are powerless to do anything." Revan said.

"Oh I have power, Revan, but this is beyond me." Kreia admitted.

"Is this why you brought me here? Because you can't undo this?" Revan wanted to know.

"No. No one can undo it. I brought you here to tell you of it though." Kreia answered.

"Why have you let it grow for so long? Why did you learn its power?" Revan asked her old master.

"Because I hate the force. I saw this as my freedom. The force will be silenced for ever, just like we will. It will die, just like we will." Kreia said.

"Tell me what you discovered." Revan asked.

"There is a rift near here… a portal through witch death has escaped." Kreia answered.

"How did you create it?" Revan asked.

"I was not the one who created, you know that." Kreia answered.

"Then who did?" Revan asked.

"Someone you knew well, an old friend, a Jedi, and a general of the Republican armies… now exiled and disconnected of the force… lost." Kreia answered.

"How can a Jedi do this?" Revan asked.

"That is a question for which I do not have an answer. What I do know, is that it was a mistake… a terrible accident." The old woman answered.

"How do I get to it… to this rift?" Revan asked.

"There is a passage that will take you there… through the east of this facility… Revan, you cannot enter that rift or you will die." Kreia warned.

"What makes you say that?" Revan asked.

"I have studied it for years, and I have sent many through it. In all this time, only one person returned… Darth Nihilous. He returned as a monster… a soulless carcass of death and emptiness. A monster I sent for you to kill. I cannot let that happen to you." Kreia answered.

"I have learned many things from the time we left each other, just as you have, and I know there is a cure for this thing. And I carry it with me." Revan said.

"Is that so? Are you going to sacrifice yourself to prove it?" Kreia was unsure.

"I'm not going to step through the rift, Kreia, Steve will." Revan said as she held her lover's shoulders and presented him to her. Darth Traya stood up and approached the couple. She looked up and down at the man with her blinded eyes.

"There is… something different about your friend here… but to send him through will surely kill him. Do as you will, Revan." Kreia said before she stepped back.

"Before we go, I want you to promise me you will never teach anyone of this power… burry it with you." Revan demanded.

"And what should I do instead?" Kreia refused.

"I don't care. You're a wise woman, Kreia. Use your knowledge, teach someone something but not this." Revan said.

"Very well… If you succeed, if your friend can close the rift… I will do as you ask." Kreia said.

"Why do you even doubt me? He will close the rift, even if it costs him his life." Revan said.

"I never doubted you for a second, Revan." Kreia answered.

"Well, you can't doubt Steve either. He has made me into a better person. He has the power to end this, I assure you." Revan said and then turned around to leave.

"Wait. I want to give you a gift before you leave. I want to tell you the future I see. I never had as much of a skill for it as you do, but this is something I have looked into for many years now." Kreia said.

"I don't need to know, Kreia." Revan turned around to answer.

"Please, just this once. You will need to hear this." Kreia said.

"What is it?" Revan asked.

"You will conceive a child, Revan. A child of great power. I see a great future… though there are many things surrounding your child that I cannot see. It is as though I was not mean to see it. Tell me, do you believe your child will become a Jedi or a Sith?" Kreia was curious.

"My child will be neither." Revan answered.

"I'm glad to hear it. Now go. I will stay out of your way." Kreia said.

"Goodbye Kreia." Revan said as she bowed and walked away with Steve.

The couple returned to the entrance of the academy, where the Sith man was still standing in the circle. Steve took the lighsaber from Revan's hand and added it the two he already carried. He approached the Sith man and gave the three of them to him.

"Here you go, like I promised… and I gave you interest on it too." Steve smirked and walked away with Revan.

The two of them walked along the academy to the east and followed a hardened path that led even deeper within the crust of the planet. The air was foul there. After a ten minute walk, they reached a dead end. It was some kind of peninsula that overlooked a great gas pocket. After looking all around, Revan noticed a very dark area to her right. She led Steve to it and observed it. It was a large flat dark spot. It looked like a wall. There wasn't a hint of light that could be seen from it. It was perfect black. Revan looked behind it and noticed that it was as though this rift had only two dimensions. She couldn't see it from the side or even from the back. It was the strangest thing she had ever seen. She went back to the front of it and looked Steve in the eyes.

"This is the place, I can feel it all around me… this place calls death." Revan said. Steve nodded and took a deep breath and exhaled.

"I'm ready." He said simply. Steve stopped looking at the rift and turned his attention to Revan. He stood just in front of her. He held her neck and chin in his hands and stood quietly for a moment.

"Revan, I want you to know that… for the past year… I've lived more that anyone could hope to live in a life time. You gave me the greatest gift I could ever ask for by bringing me along with you. Thank you so much." Steve said to her. Revan's eyes were watering. Steve kissed her on the lips and pulled back a little. He held both her hands.

"Could I say goodbye to our child?" He asked her. Revan nodded and lifted her tank top up to her breasts. Steve descended to his knees and held the woman's sides in a most comfortable embrace. Then he tilted forward and kissed her on the belly. Then he stood up and said:

"Goodbye Revan… my love." He said as he started to step backwards towards the rift, never looking away for her eyes. Soon, he was too far for Revan to hold his hand anymore. She saw his back was entering the darkness of the rift, slowly taking him in. She cried. Steve still held the same look on his face. He had a faint smile to comfort his soul mate. Soon later, his eyes were the only things left to see. And then he disappeared completely. Revan kept the image in her mind for as long as she could, but it started to fade away. She crumbled down to her knees and whispered.

"Goodbye Steve." She was soon seeing nothing but the tears dripping down to the floor in front of her. Moments later, she felt a tremor through the air. She looked at the rift and then felt a sudden pull. She looked at her arms and noticed all her hairs were pulling her towards the rift. Soon, all the hairs on her head, and her lightsaber stood parallel to the floor as the static energy was building up all around the rift. She got up from the floor and stepped back until the static pull was less of an issue. She could hear a tare noise in the air and noticed the rift was actually shrinking.

"Go Steve! You're doing it! I'm so proud of you baby!" Revan yelled into the closing portal. The darkness disappeared completely, and there was a gust of wind all around. Suddenly, the air smelled fresher and the earth was calm.

"You are the cure." Revan whispered.


	10. Chapter 10

Conclusion

Sitting at the controls of her ship, Revan fought back the tears. She wanted to focus on the good memories she possessed. She did what her soul mate asked her to do: she pressed her palm against her belly and searched for his presence. She still had a part of him inside. She smiled. She was afraid it would die with him. She was unsure what it all meant, but she knew it was a good thing; she wanted to keep him forever. She didn't know how she would survive without it. It was so tender, so pure; she needed it. She wished it was his hand on her belly. She wished he was there in the flesh. She wished he was there to see for himself the life he brought back to the force. By closing the rift, he was able to destroy the emptiness in the galaxy. It wasn't just a matter of destroying this horror: If fact, it was more like replacing one plague with another; only this time, it was meant to restore life and peace in the force. It was the greatest gift anyone could give to the galaxy, and, yet, no one knew about this… no one knew of Steve's success. Revan could only hope people would eventually know what happened here this day, but that would be improbable. Most likely, this would remain a secret amongst the few Jedi masters who actually believe it. And then, of course, there are those, who consider themselves family, who would be more than proud to know what really happened in the galaxy this day. As for everyone else, this would just be remembered as a good day; a day the crops grew and the birds sang and the suns shined. It would be the beginning of the end of galactic scale wars… It would be a day of great peace and harmony, and no one would ever know why. At least for as long as Revan was alive, no one would acknowledge her doings or those of her beloved mate. History was full of flaws.

Revan dropped out of hyperspace and landed on the miraluka's homeworld. It looked disastrous. There was no motion anywhere, no feelings, no vibes. There was only that which had been shielded from the plague. Only those that were privileged enough to have been in proximity of her lover were alive. Still, Revan could see how far the force had regained territory over the vast death marches. Life would restart in no time. Revan didn't even want to exit the ship. She didn't want to speak to the Jedi. She had done enough for them. It was time they started to look after their own and learn from their mistakes. It was up to Bastila now to teach them to look past their stubbornness. Bastila once had to deal with her own hard headedness, but, when she was with Revan and Steve, she was another person. She learned how to be more whole. Revan was honored to have her as a friend… and more… she was family now.

"I need to leave. I told you everything you needed to know, for now. I need to speak with Revan and her companions. There's much more she can tell us and she will only speak with me." Bastila fought back as the Jedi masters urged her to stay with them for a while longer. Master Vrook let go of her arm and the young Jedi walked up the Ebon Hawk's ramp. She stopped at the top and took one look back to see only the faces of disappointment. The Jedi wanted to know more, but Bastila couldn't tell them what she didn't know.

"Don't look at me like that, I don't deserve this. I will transmit whatever information I find. What you do with that is up to you. I urge you, master Vrook, to take another look around you and reconsider your position. Everything will be better from now on, you'll see." Bastila said before she pressed the retract button on the topside of the ramp. Bastila joined Revan in the cockpit. She sat on the copilot chair and sighed. Then she noticed Revan was looking at her attentively. Bastila looked back but didn't say anything.

"It's done." Revan finally said. Bastila nodded and looked out the window sadly and crossed her arms. Bastila wanted to hear every detail of their mission, but her mind was busy processing the every meaning of what Revan said.

"I want to know how he died…" Bastila said as she looked away to hide the water that was building up underneath her eyes. Her eyes were rotating about frantically, giving away her state of anxiety that was otherwise invisible. She had become a much more patient woman than she used to be, but, now that Steve was dead, it was different. Everything felt different. Revan was not the same person without him. Bastila couldn't tell if things would fall apart or the lingering remnants of Steve were enough to keep everyone together. She was scared.

"You won't be disappointed. He died in the best way anyone could. He died a hero." Revan reassured her Jedi friend. Bastila nodded and tears rolled down her cheeks. Revan turned on the engines and lifted the Hawk into the air. She entered the commands on the autopilot to order a return-home and sat back on her seat. Then she gave Bastila the details.

That long night, neither of the two women could sleep. Instead, they simply sat down on a bed, facing each other, and talked as friends… no, as family. Bastila was pleased that Revan was not drowning in sorrow. Even now, she was a good person to talk to about anything. The young Jedi was more afraid that she may lose it but not in the comfort of her friend and idol. Time went by fast. The two women had so much to share and so little time.

A proximity signal echoed in Atris's underground facility of Telos. It was very early in the morning. Both Echani women got up first. In a heartbeat, they were both in the corridors, mostly dressed. Soon later, Mira followed. She entered the corridor while she was still slipping into her pants. She hopped up and down past the door and paused to finish the job. When her pants were secured, she ran to the hangar. The shield lowered and the great ship landed. The two Echani women came down and stood next to Mira, waiting for the ramp to lower from the ship. When it did, everyone looked up the ramp. Revan and Bastila were up there, side by side. Mira smiled at first but noticed the hesitation in the face of the two women that were up the ramp. She knew something was wrong. The redhead ran up past the two women and looked in every room of the ship. Revan and Bastila walked slowly down the ramp and waited at the bottom. They looked towards the inside of the ship and then kept walking towards the Echani. Mira was finished searching the ship and ran back to the ramp.

"Where the hell is he? You didn't leave him with the Jedi, did you?" Mira was worried.

"Come down here. We need to talk." Revan said sadly. Mira stood up straight and her jaw dropped. She closed her mouth and then she walked slowly down the ramp. She stepped up to Revan and looked at Bastila, then back at Revan.

"So where the hell is he?" Mira's voice was crackling. Revan could sense the woman's heart was accelerating. She could sense her angst. She sighed and then gulped.

"He's dead." She said simply.

"What! No! NO!" The younger woman cried. She put her hand on her mouth and looked Revan in the eyes. Fear and rage were swelling in her just as much as her eyes were swelling with tears. She looked at everyone's reaction for confirmation that she didn't hallucinate what Revan had said. The two Echani women were didn't look very surprised, but they looked sad. The white women were looking at the floor and blinking with their eyes in calmness. They frowned but didn't cry. Bastila was also looking at the floor, but, in addition, she was gulping, and she was searching for a comfortable spot on her sides to place her hands. She couldn't find any. She was insecure. Revan was perfectly still, but her eyes spoke a million words. She looked like she was living elsewhere… buried in her thoughts. Mira looked into those eyes for a moment and then let go of her mouth. She swiped her arm sideways and opened up her palm to slap Revan in the face. Before it could land, the older woman caught it. Bastila was reflexively prepared to act, but she saw it was already taken care of.

"You knew he would die, didn't you? You know these kinds of things! How could you let this happen?" Mira cried before taking another swipe of her other arm, only to be caught again. Revan held both her arms near her chest, preventing any other violent outbursts. Mira fought to gain her arms back, but she was too depressed to do anything more than fidget in futility. Then she arched her back and buried her face between Revan's perky breasts. She cried.

"It isn't like that… He knew what would happen to him as well as I did." Revan said soothingly. Mira lifted her head up and said:

"What?" Revan looked down into her face and explained:

"Do you remember the last diner we had together? Remember how he was acting differently… how he looked miserably sad?" She began. Mira Looked into Revan's eyes but was completely silenced. She put her head back on the older woman's bosom and cried some more.

"He was like that because he afraid to tell you… He didn't want to cause anyone pain." Revan rephrased in a fashion her lover would say it.

"Why? Why couldn't he tell us?" Mira moaned.

"Come on; what would you have done if he told you this mission would be his death?" Revan asked frankly.

"I would have… I would have thrown him in a force cage and fused the lock so nobody could get him out!" Mira said honestly.

"Why did you let him go with you? Why couldn't you just go alone? You could have left him here with us! He isn't some Jedi! They didn't need him! We need him! Why did he have to go? Why?" Mira fought again for her release. When Revan let her go, Mira fell back on the floor. She sat down with her knees tucked against her breasts and her hands covering her face.

"I know what you're capable of. You didn't need his help! You're a damn war god Revan! What the hell did you need him for?" Mira cried.

"I couldn't do it alone, Mira… Steve was…" Revan started.

"He was what? Special? Don't give me that shit! He had nothing, no skill, no experience! He told me himself! He told me he was nothing special! Are you calling him a liar?" Mira yelled as she kept her aggression from rocking her over to her back.

"I… I'm sorry Mira." Revan couldn't find anything to say. It wasn't the right time to confuse the bounty huntress. Mira lifted herself from the floor and shook her head at Revan before she ran back to her room. Revan looked down in shame and tears dripped down her cheeks. She couldn't concentrate with all the disturbing emotion that surrounded her. She felt naked without Steve. She simply couldn't say the right things at this time.

For the first time ever, Bastila Shan could feel Revan's distress. Though it wasn't quite enough to make everything better, it did inspire some confidence. She was finally able to look at Revan as being more human, more lost, though it wasn't always so. Now she could learn how to be a good friend. Now she could learn what it is to take care of others. The young Jedi rubbed her hand on Revan's back. Revan looked up and gave Bastila a hug. As the young Jedi hugged her friend back, she looked at the two white women. They reminded her of something, something she had to do. She pulled back from Revan without looking away from the two handmaidens.

"I'll go talk to her." She said before she looked Revan in the eyes. Revan looked back and nodded. She also remembered something.

"You remind me of him, you know? And you hug in a similar way… I can feel what you feel. I'm so proud of you Bastila." Revan approved and placed her hand on the Jedi's shoulder. Bastila smiled. She thought that was the greatest compliment she could receive. She no longer let her sadness ruin what she was now capable of accomplishing. She was a new person. She wanted to make things better, the way Steve did. Just like Steve wanted, she would talk to Mira… she would take care of Revan. Bastila hugged Revan again and whispered:

"Thank you." Then she left to Mira's room.

Bastila didn't bother knocking because she didn't expect a welcome. She found Mira jamming things into her bags. They were random things. It hardly looked like she was paying any attention to what she was doing. She was on edge.

"Are you leaving?" Bastila asked softly.

"There isn't much point in me staying here anymore, now is there? I don't belong here anymore. This place was great, but it isn't the same now." Mira said without even turning back to look at the Jedi.

"This isn't what Steve would want…" Bastila began.

"What difference does it make? He's dead! There's nothing left for me here anymore!" Mira moaned.

"What about the rest of us? What are we to you?" Bastila asked.

"I'm sorry Bastila… I don't mean to insult anyone. I just can't stay here anymore. I don't think our friendship will stand long… not now that its foundation was ripped out from underneath us…" Mira said.

"I'm sorry you feel that way. I was hoping to get to know you better." Bastila said sadly.

"You didn't know did you? You didn't know he was gonna die?" Mira paused from her packing and looked back to ask Bastila.

"No. Not until the night before the mission… on our way there…" Bastila started. Mira looked back at her bag and sniffed.

"Look, before you go, Steve wanted you to know something…" Bastila continued. Mira dropped her bag on the floor and gave Bastila her full attention.

"He told me how much you care about him and he thought you may want to know that well… after he told me he was going to die, we… we made out." Bastila didn't know how to explain it.

"You mean you kissed?" Mira smirked.

"No… I mean, well yes, but, what I really mean is that, well, he told me how he really felt about me, and I told him how I felt about him." Bastila said defensively.

"How DO you feel about him?" Mira asked softly.

"He wanted you to know that I loved him. I love him so much… I can't describe it really… I just know how much I care about him and… well, it's overwhelming." Bastila said. Mira sat down on the bed and smiled. Then she was tapping on the bed with her fingers.

"I can't imagine something he wanted more than to hear that from you." Mira said honestly.

"He died happy… with a smile on his face. He did what he had to do, you understand?" Bastila said. Mira kept fidgeting her fingers on the bed.

"He didn't owe anything to anybody. He didn't have to die… But I know how he is… how he was. I know that he must have done the right thing." Mira said.

"Look, I want to tell you everything; I want to tell everybody everything. Why don't you stay a while? We could talk over breakfast." Bastila suggested. Mira looked over to her awfully packed bags and smiled to the Jedi.

"What the hell am I doing, Bastila? I love this place! I have things to share with you as well. I'm staying." Mira said.

Two weeks later, Revan woke up alone in her cold bed. She had a dream during the night, but she couldn't remember what it was. As she got out of bed, she felt the start of a cramp. She was a strong woman though; she quickly dismissed it and got dressed. She had enough of pain for a while, and so she reflexively ignored it. She was still feeling melancholy over the death of her soul mate. She didn't talk much, but she did what Steve wanted her to do: she kept a positive attitude. She tried hard to make things comfortable for everyone, but she mostly had Bastila to thank for that. That Jedi had been transformed the most by his death. Though her sorrows were still there, she had much more confidence in everything she did. Revan taught her more of the force. Like Steve said, she found it very comforting to be around her. Bastila was becoming more a mirror of him every day. The two Echani women were far too quiet to say what they felt, but it was obvious by their actions that they took things much less seriously than before. They wanted to smile sometimes; they wanted to share a laugh here and there. Steve had left his mark with them as well. Mira was the one that didn't gain anything positive. She was living too much in the past. She seemed distracted. Her mind was wandering in the if-and-when while the rest of her waited patiently for something. She was in denial. She didn't see him die, and she wasn't really convinced of Revan's story either. She expected her little-brother like friend to come back. Dead or alive, she wanted to see him again. The rest of the gang tried cheering her up as best they could, but there was always just a touch of something missing to heal her completely. To Revan, it was obvious; Mira needed a man to cheer her up. She remembered what Steve told her of his night with her. What Mira needed could only be given by the comfort of a man. What he had given her was even more than just that. He had a way of transferring things with his hands and his face that simply couldn't be described in words. Revan knew very well what it was, but Mira only had a glimpse of it, yet it was enough to change her forever. Even if Steve wasn't at his best that night, he was still the greatest lover there could ever be. He never let go; he was always focused.

Revan finally got off the bed and walked to the shower room. She got undressed and started to take a warm shower. She took soap into her hands and rubbed it over herself. She looked down as she was cleaning her inner thighs and noticed the water change color as it dripped down between her legs. She froze. She closed her eyes to deny it and slid her hand on her sex. She slipped a finger between her inner lips and opened her eyes to look at it. As she looked at the finger stained in blood, she felt some spit up crawling up her esophagus. Her eyes denied her finger, but she couldn't deny the vomit that spilled beside her foot.

"No… no… that can't be! I'm supposed to be pregnant!" She cried as more vomit was making its way up.

"Kreia told me I was! This isn't happening!" Revan screamed. Revan stood up straight and looked at both her hands. She trembled at the sight of blood and vomit.

"How can this be happening? Oh Steve!" Revan cried as she washed off the proof of her failure.

"What did I do wrong? Is this a new fate the force has cast upon me? Am I not to bear his child?" Revan continued. She had a new reality to face, and it was the most painful one yet. Revan needed her strength now more than ever. She had to keep herself together. She still had a piece inside of her, a strong brick that was able to do that. Revan placed her hand on her belly and closed her eyes. She let the warmth of the water take her to a better place. If only she had looked into the future before, she could have been prepared for this. Revan shut off the shower and sat up straight in a cross-legged position. She closed her eyes and looked into the future. She saw a young boy, a very young boy. He looked very happy. He was running towards someone. She couldn't see who it was; there was shadow cast upon the person. Along side this shadow, she saw herself standing there with a smile she had forgot she was capable of. The boy was hugging both her and the person next to her.

"Mummy, Daddy! You're back!" The child was happy.

Revan opened her eyes.

_Who is that? Who is standing in the shadows? Whose child will I bear? Why can't I see this? This doesn't make sense._

Revan closed her eyes and searched more. Each time, there was a shadow cast on her mate. Each time, she was happy. Each time, there was a boy… and many times, Bastila was there.

"Hello aunt Bastila." The boy called her.

_There could only be one future. One truth. Why is there a piece of it missing? What is the force trying to show me?_

Revan gave her meditation a rest. She was getting cold now. The water had time to disappear off her flesh. She went back into the changing room and got dressed.

Revan walked to the dining room table where her friends were sitting. She stopped and looked at Bastila.

"What is it?" The younger Echani woman asked noticing Revan's hesitation.

"I just had my period this morning…" Revan whispered in the saddest way possible. She could hear the sound of a spoon drop in a plate as Bastila turned around to face Revan.

"Oh my gosh Revan! How can… no! You have to be pregnant! You can't not be!" Bastila panicked.

"I don't understand… I'm so confused!" Revan admitted. Bastila stood up and held her friend close to her.

"You can't blame yourself for that. I mean, you didn't have much time to try, did you? Oh Revan… Maybe we all just wished it was true… but the facts are against us. Tell me, how many time did you try?" Bastila asked softly.

"Three… in the same morning." Revan cried.

"That isn't much Revan… besides, Steve was… wounded. Maybe he just needed more time to heal. I'm so sorry Revan." Bastila said. Everyone at the table looked down sadly. Mira was devastated.

"Maybe… I don't know. But there is something about all of this that doesn't make sense. I looked into the future… I am supposed to have a child. I know this! It is my destiny! I was sure of it!" Revan said defensively.

"What exactly did you see?" Bastila was curious.

"I had a boy. A beautiful little boy. You were there too. I don't understand why, but I can never see who the father is. Every time I look, I see a shadow. Every time I try to feel or hear him, I go numb and deaf. There is something about this future that isn't right. I see myself happier than ever. I see you happier than ever. I see my child, a wonderfully happy child. I don't understand." Revan cried.

"Let me help you get to the bottom of this. Let's meditate together." Bastila suggested.

"Wait… I have a theory… I don't know much about… about looking into the future, but there is something I believe in strongly…" Mira interrupted before the two women walked away from the table. Revan and Bastila turned around to give Mira their complete attention.

"There is but one future. I was told this by a Jedi master… but that isn't the point. The fact is… I believe that, if there is something you can't see, something that isn't certain in your vision, it's because something's interfering with it… not because the future itself is unsure." Mira began.

"What are you suggesting, Mira?" Bastila was curious.

"I'm suggesting that Steve is the father of your child. I'm also suggesting that his fate is being made unclear." Mira continued.

"What are you saying?" Bastila asked.

"I'm saying that you haven't actually witnessed him die. You saw him disappear. You saw him go away, and you don't even know where. What if he was still alive?" Mira observed.

"If he was alive, I could sense his presence from anywhere in the galaxy." Revan affirmed.

"What if he was no longer part of the galaxy? What if that rift he closed was not even part of this dimension? What if he's simply stuck elsewhere, finding a way back?" Mira gave her hypothesis. Revan was thinking of the rift. It looked completely out of the ordinary. She tried to relate it with the shadow she saw in her vision, but there was still something missing.

"It may have led to another dimension, but that still doesn't explain everything…" Revan said sadly.

"Doesn't it? What if the future is just waiting to be revealed, but all it needs is for Steve to come back to our dimension? If he isn't connected to the space-time continuum anymore, it could actually change the perspective of the future." Mira continued.

"I know you want him to be alive by some strange miracle, but…" Bastila was saying before Revan interfered:

"Wait, I think she may be right."

"Prove me wrong. I keep expecting him to show up, and I wasn't sure why until now. He will come back for you. Give him a chance. Give him time. Look for him… tell me if I'm wrong." Mira said softly. Revan gave a nod and stood there staring into the redhead's eyes.

"You're a smart woman, Mira. I can see now why he likes you so much. If he's out there, I will find him." Revan assured the younger woman.

"Bring him back to us. If anyone can do it, you can." Mira said.

Meanwhile, a dozen miles away from Anchorhead, Tatooine, a very dark storm system formed above the dune sea. It was rare enough to have storm clouds in the desert, but it was impossible for one to form above land… not under normal circumstanced anyway. One of the suns was already set and the other one was disappearing from the horizon. There were violent bolts of lightning descending from the sky, turning the sand into glass the moment they hit. Soon later, there was a shockwave that emitted form just below the cloud. Suddenly, the winds were stilled around the center of the storm. There was a crackling noise in the air as a thin tare of pure dark stretched out from underneath the clouds. The lightning viciously struck this tare at each end point as it grew in size. When the tare reached its full size, the cloud began to dissipate and the lightning ceased. A rift was formed. Exiting it, a man dressed in black fell from the elevated point down to the glassy surface of the sandy dunes. He was not conscious of his fall. After he fell out, the rift closed up behind him and the sun set completely.

Steve woke up to a burning sensation of his hand and face. He laid in a puddle of shattered glass over a sand dune. The twin suns were shining brightly above him and he was far too hot in his suit. His hands were red, but he could still feel only one of them. They were not only red by the blood of his cuts but by the burns of the suns. His face also burned, but, because he landed on his back, his face was unharmed by the unnatural puddle he was in. His sweat was mixing with the blood and was washing his hands off. When he had enough energy to stand, he walked out of the glass to meet the burning hot sand of Tatooine's vast deserts. Now his feet were burning. He yelled in pain and unzipped half of his suit off. He let the sweat from his back and chest drip to the ground, and then he looked around him. There was a city, but it looked awfully far away. He could feel the suns burning his flesh almost instantly. He pulled his suit back on and started walking towards the city. He already felt parched and dehydrated. He wasn't going to reach the city, not by some miracle. An hour later, he couldn't stand. He collapsed into the hot sand and fell unconscious.

Many hours later, he woke up. He couldn't see anything but realized it was because there were kolto soaked bandages covering his face. He slid them off his face and looked around the room he was in.

"You're awake. I didn't think you would live through the day. You're lucky I found you when I did." A woman with tattoos said as she inspected his face. She reached for a glass of water and fed it to him. She was about to offer his some food, but Steve declined it.

"You didn't have a hunter's pass… you know you aren't supposed to go outside the gates without carrying a permit authorized by a Czerka corporation officer. Actually, I didn't find anything on you, no ID, no money… how did you get there anyway?" The woman asked. He didn't answer. He looked under the soaked sheet that covered him and noticed he was naked.

"Where are my clothes?" He asked.

"They needed to be washed. Look… I can have you fined for being out there without a pass… and I also have a heavy medical bill this week because of you. How are you going to pay me back for all of this… I work for Czerka, you know? I can own you if you owe me something you can't pay for…" The woman said.

"I've heard of that greedy corporation before… spare me the threats. Tell me what you want." Steve was to the point.

"You're not from around here, are you?" The woman asked.

"No." Steve answered.

"Why don't you tell me your name?" She asked.

"Steve." He said.

"Are you a slave, Steve? I didn't see any markings on you… it's safe to say I can claim you…" The woman started.

"Look, I… I'm not some slave and I'm not interested in working for that awful corporation of yours." Steve said honestly. The woman pulled back and frowned.

"It isn't wise to insult me, you know?" She said.

"Forgive me for being blunt, but I had to say it. I need transportation off this planet… if you could arrange for something, I'm sure we can make a deal…" Steve started.

"I don't think so stranger; that's not how it works… not around here anyway. You have to show me the credits first… and if you can't, you need to ask someone else who can." The lady said.

"I… I can't do that." Steve said honestly.

"I didn't think so. Like I said, I could own you." She persisted.

"That won't be necessary… I hope." Steve said.

"Well, until you work off your debt, I'm afraid that's the situation." She said.

"How much do I owe you?" Steve was straightforward.

"Seven hundred rubles. If I gave you the full fine for your intrusion, it would be a little more than that, but I can be reasonable. I can see it wasn't your intension to go out there without permission. Whatever reason it was, you're lucky it didn't cost you your life." The woman said honestly.

"For that, I am very grateful. Thank you. Still, I don't know if I have anything to offer you." Steve said.

"Well, do you have any skills? Repairs, financing, languages? You know, useful stuff." The woman said. Steve shook his head.

"How about cooking, cleaning… house chores?" The woman persisted.

"I can't cook, but I can clean… But how much can you offer me to clean your house?" Steve asked sarcastically.

"It hardly pays for your food and shelter… you would be stuck here for a long time…" The woman said honestly.

"I thought so… Not interested." Steve said.

"Maybe I'm asking the wrong questions." The woman inspected the man carefully. She sat at the front of her stool and looked down at the man who was in the soaked bed.

"There is something else… We've been having problems with the indigenous tribes around here… they are raiders, they raid our shipments…" The woman began, but Steve interrupted her:

"No way! I've had enough of war and killing people. If they are giving you trouble, it's because you must have done something to them. I'm not going to do your dirty work." The woman stood up and frowned.

"You insult me again! Around here, there are penalties for when a slave insults his mistress! The next time you attempt to insult me will be your last, you hear me?" The woman spat. She sat back down on the stool. Steve waited until she was calm enough to continue.

"I didn't mean to insult you personally… I simply don't approve of the company you work for… I can't associate myself in any way with that awful enterprise! There has to be something I can do for you that doesn't involve stupid Czerca." Steve said. Steve could see that the look on the woman's face didn't change.

"Look, if it makes you feel better, I have a few friends that have done some awful things in the past. One of them in particular was in a very questionable line of work. I realize this isn't a perfect world and I can see how people believe they need to do these things… She's a great friend of mine though. Even though I didn't agree with what she did, I still respected her. So you see: I have nothing against you personally. I just despise the people you work for." Steve added. The woman stopped frowning and sighed.

"What about racing, could you race a swoop bike?" The woman asked.

"A what bike?" Steve asked.

"Never mind." The woman gave up. She thought some more.

"There is a game we play here called pazzak, a card game. Maybe you could wager your suit and try and win some money…" She was desperate.

"I've had all the good luck I can spare… I really doubt I can win anything right now." Steve said sadly.

"You have no skill, no credentials, no credits, no friends, you insult me and you refuse to work… There's only one thing to do." The woman said before she stood up again. She left the room and came back with a large stamp.

"What are you going to do…?" Steve was afraid.

"Give me your arm." The woman said simply. Steve hesitated and extended his right arm. The woman pressed her stamp down against the bottom surface of his arm and threw the stamp away.

"This is my name and address. I'm going to let you go. I'm going to keep your suit… and if you want it back, you'll have to come back and buy it from me… you know the price." The woman said. Steve was surprised.

"You're in danger of becoming a good person…" He looked at the stamp on his arm and read the first name:  
"… Diana."

"Yeah, well don't make me regret it…" Diana said softly. Steve took another look under the sheets.

"Could I have my underwear back?" He asked.

"Yeah yeah… I'll get you a cloak or something too." She said as she left the room in search of something for the man to wear. Steve took a deep breath of relief. Diana came back in the room with a large cloak and helped the man get dressed.

"Do you think there may be a way for me to get a transport off this planet?" Steve asked honestly.

"I don't think so. Everything is paid for in advance around here." Diana said. The woman sighed when she was done dressing the man and said:

"You want my advice? Don't stay in the streets for too long. There are many here who don't tolerate beggars."

"I don't have much choice in the matter…" Steve said.

"I guess not. Just be careful then." Diana said softly.

"Are you just saying that to protect your investment or do you actually care?" Steve asked honestly.

"Why don't you come back here sometime and find out?" Diana said.

"I will, I promise." Steve said honestly and left the building into the hot outdoors. He walked towards the spaceport and started to do what he had to… he begged:

"Will someone please take me to Telos? I need to get home. I need to get back to my family." He said loudly for everyone to hear. Everyone ignored him.

"I'm here Revan. Do you hear me? I'm back. I can't wait to see you again." He whispered to himself.

_We're coming baby… Sit tight_. He heard her voice in his head.

The End.


End file.
